Consequences
by jellybean-kitty
Summary: Sequel to New Beginnings. Kai and friends find themselves dealing with the aftermath of the tournament and a new beginning Kai thought he had may not be quite so easy to reach after all.
1. Consequences

I'm sorry it took a while to get this first chapter up but my computer is and still is not working! But I'll update as soon as I can. Just to warn you, this will be a Kai/Hil and Tala/Oc fic but please don't be put off!

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

Consequences

He had done somethign bad in another life. He was certain of it. As Kai looked around the room of his new class he grimaced. There was no way he could spend the next few years of his school life in here, although, seeing as they had no other choice, his parents had to enrol him into the first school that would accept him. After many failed attempts they finally found one situated in Japan but far from his previous school. It was another private boarding school. The main difference was it was all boys, which Kai found horrifying. There were no girls in site. Not even a girl's affiliated school. As much as he had pleaded and complained, his mother had insisted he go here until things "settled down". He knew that things would never settle down. What school would want a _murderer_?

As he had expected, the boys attending St. Joesph's School For Boys were pretty much the spoiled, clueless brats he had assumed they'd be. In the short time he had been with the school, they had tried to rope him into beybattles or take part in my-dad's-better-than-yours type argument. In every case he gave the culperate a withering look and walked away. He decided that for the time being he would give up his beyblading until he could get back into Greenwood's. However long it would take. And as for the boasting compititions? His advice would be to get a life.

The worst thing about begin here was that he hadn't spoken to his friends for weeks. He had told them where he was going before he came but he hadn't had an oppertunity to contact them since. The school had a strict policy on telephones in the way that you weren't allowed them. Normally, Kai didn't really care much for pointless rules like that but when he saw the look on Rossanne's face as she told him to not do anything to ruin his chances he knew he would have to abide. It just sucked. His life sucked. But what else was new?

* * *

"Okay, how are we doing with the signs?" Asked Garnet as she took notes in a bright pink notepad. 

Tala struggled with the banners he was carrying and finally gave up, sending them hurtling over the nearest table and earning him an annoyed look from Mariah who was busy designing their signs with Max.

Ray shrugged. "Fine. I think. We still need more to go around everyone who wants to be involved. Here's the renewed list." He handed her a sheet of paper which she quickly skimmed through.

"Good. Well let's keep at it guys! It'll all be worth it in the end, I promise." She said with a bright smile before picking up a pen to help Mariah and Max.

"This is never going to work," Tala muttered as he pulled up a chair beside Ray.

"You never know. Loads of people want to help and I guess if there's enough the school authourities _have_ to take interest, right?" He muttered back.

"Yeah sure." He replied. "Because a team of students are going to make a major impact. Let's be serious. They're not going to care so long as they get their big paycheck in the end. It's not like we're respectable adults."

Ray was silent as he carried on organising the protest which was scheduled to take place in two days time, all going to plan: which Garnet herself thought up of. He actually thought they stood a good enough chance. It wasn't as if Kai was actually convicted of murdering. Everyone knew it was self-defence. Almost.

After a time period of silent concentration Tala slammed his pen down in frustration. "Garnet, this is hopeless. Who in their right mind is going to listen to a bunch of kids protesting about something they'll think we're too young to understand?" He ran a hand through his red hair which had been cut short so that it now looked tamed. "I mean what's out secret weapon? Cheerleaders? I'm sure that'll make a difference."

For a while Garnet said nothing but felt tears spring in her eyes at the harshness of Tala's voice. She would need him behind her, not thinking she was a stupid little school girl. "We have to try." Her voice was barely a whisper. "It may be hopeless, yeah, but we still have to try. For Kai's sake. I mean he's alone right now. We can't even talk to him. How do you think he's feeling? I bet if he knew that somewhere out there people actually gave a damn about him then he wouldn't be so..."

"...Sad?" Mariah said so quietely that no one was sure if she had said anything at all. "I know everyone's thinking it. Kai's not been alright ever since...it happened."

"I don't think it's sadness." Max said."It's something else. He killed some one. It doesn't matter how noble the intentions were. It's gotta affect him somehow. I think he feels guilty. It's propably eating him up. I mean, what he did in a second is ruining his whole life. Things he once looked forward to, took for granted, he can't get."

Garnet shook her head. "It's not fair." She put her head on her hands. "It's just not fair."

Ray put an arm around her shoulders. "I know its not. So that's why we're doing what we're doing. We're gonna make it fair. People like Kai. They know that, deep down, he's a good guy, albeit he can be a prick sometimes. And when the school sees all these people protesting about him, they'll realise just how big a mistake they've made and he'll be allowed back in."

"It won't be that easy." Tala reasoned. "But we'll try. For Kai."

They went back to work silently. They had materials. They had the support. But would it really make a difference?

* * *

Tyson and Kenny sat in Kenny's bedroom while Kenny checked his e-mail inbox in the slightest hope that Kai had left a message for him. There was nothing. He thought there wouldn't be. 

"Give it up, Kenny." Tyson moaned at him. It annoyed him just how worked up his everyone was getting over Kai. "Let Mr. Moody be. He obviously isn't in any major emergency or he'd have found some way to tell us."

"Kenny?" A woman's voice called from downstairs. "Hilary's here."

"Tell her to come on up." Kenny shouted back.

"Hilary?" Tyson hissed. "Why did you invite her here?"

"She asked to come. Besides I like her. And so do you."

"Doesn't Little Miss. Bossy have her own friends?" He ignored the second part.

"Tyson." Kenny warned as Hilary chapped the door. "Come on in."

"Hey guys." She said as she closed the door behind her. "What are you doing?"

"Not a lot. What do you want to do?" Kenny replied.

She shrugged. "I don't know. Do you wanna go get ice cream or something?"

Tyson's face lit up. "Yeah!"

She rolled her ruby eyes. "Why am I not surprised. Food's the only thing on your mind."

He stuck out his tongue at her and began to put his shoes on. Before the other two knew what hit them he was outside and yelling on them to hurry up. They looked at each other and Hilary rolled her eyes once again.

* * *

What do you think of the first chapter? Please review!

jellybean-kitty


	2. Going Home

Hiya! Sorry my updates are taking so long but my computer is still broke:P

Thanks everyone who reviewed!

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

Going Home

Garnet was pleased with what she saw as she looked around her. Students from all year groups and cliches had joined up with them in a school-wide protest. She was confident that, even if their demands aren't met, they will be acknowledged and that surely was better than nothing. She joined the group of cheerleaders who were all dressed in the baby blue and gold skirts and vest tops, herself included. She took her pom-poms from Mariah as they prepared to do yet another cheer for Kai. At least this would win over the males of the school board.

At the same time Tala was trying his best to organise those who were to hold slogans and banners. They had discovered more and more people had wanted to join them and there was just not enough to go round. In a sense it was a good thing but it annoyed him that they just turned up like that, probably so they could get a day off school. He watched as the cheerleaders built a pyramid with Garnet on top, her black hair, which had been tied into a ponytail, swishing confidently around her. She was so sure of herself, sure of this. He wished he could share her enthusiasm but some one needed to be realistic and since Kai wasn't here that was now his job. It was up to him to be her shoulder to cry on when this all turned out to be a worthless waste of time.

He took out a bottle of water and took a long drink from it. It was a hot day. He wiped at his forehead to remove the beads of sweat that had built up there. He hated when it was too hot. He took off the t-shirt he was wearing and tied it around his waist to try and cool himself down more. A wolfwhistle sounded from in front of him and he laughed to himself as Garnet and Mariah stuck out their tongues at him before making their way towards him.

The two girls left their pom-poms beside the railing Tala was leaning against and took it in turns to drink some of his water.

"So sexy, d'ya have a licence for that chest?" Garnet giggled, soon joined by Mariah.

Tala playfully shoved her. "Shouldn't you be rallying with the cheerleaders? I mean considering their joint IQ is only in double figures, I' think they need as many bimbos over there as they can get, right Max?" He said to the blonde who had just joined them.

"Yep." Max agreed, avoiding incoming pom-poms from Mariah. "So how's the booty shaking giong anyway?"

Mariah glared at him. "It's called cheerleading." She said indignintly. "And it's going fine. Where's Ray?"

"Over there." Garnet said, pointing to another group of students who were shouting demands at the headteacher's window. "This is going well, don't you think? Kai would be so flattered."

"Yeah, he would. I wonder what he's doing now..."

* * *

Kai tried his best not to draw attention to himself at all times at school. He didn't really want to converse with any of these people. He wasn't even going to flatter them with the illusion that he could ever become friends with them. He had his friends. The only friends he really wanted. Sure they weren't here right now but they were still out there, probably still looking out for him even though they weren't together. 

"Watch it!" He growled to an older boy who walked into him.

The boy turned round, his gang of five copying him. "I'm sorry. Did you say something to me." He squared up to Kai's shoulders, sizing himself. He was at least a few centimetres taller.

"I did tell you to watch it but you apologised." Kai said, about to walk past but was blocked by two other of the boy's cronies. He tried to remember his name. Sanders or Saunders, he wasn't sure. He was clueless as to what his first could be but he knew that he was in the year above him.

"Hey, Sanders. I think he's trying to get away." Said one of them.

Sanders crossed his arms over his chest. "You wouldn't be trying to run away now, would you? I mean first of all you get all hard on me and now you're chickening away?"He sneered."What has the great Kai Hiwatari turned into?Won't even finish a fight he started."

Kai sighed. He had no time for this. "Look, I don't want any trouble."

"Oh, no. Kai doesn't want any trouble." The group all laughed. "You think you're so much better that everyone, that you're such a hotshot, when in fact you're just a little shit who used to be something."

"Actually, I _know _I'm better that, well, you, for instance. Get out of my way and I won't have to put you in your place." He pushed past them all but was grabbed by the shoulders and pushed into the nearest wall.

"Pu me in my place, huh?" Sanders spat. "I'd like to see you try."

"I wouldn't even have to try with you. Look at you. You're all talk but I bet you couldn't do anything without your little friends all around you. You pathetic piece of-" He was cut off as he ducked from Sander's fist which would have landed square on his jaw otherwise.

He pushed himself off the wall and through his own punch, which hit his target directly. Sanders cried out in rage and tried to run Kai to the ground but the younger boy just turned his body and stuck out his foot so he tripped over it and landed on the floor.

Seeing as his opponent was down, Kai began to walk away again but turned round again when he heard Sanders run towards him, succeeding in tackling Kai. He then felt a sudden pain around his eye as he realised he'd been hit. Growling, Kai pushed the other away from him and stood up, getting ready for the next move. As Sanders ran towards him again, he raised his hand let his palm connect with the Sander's nose, hearing the distinct noise of bone shattering in the process.

Sanders raised his hands to his nose and cried out in pain.

"Split it up!" Shouted one of the school teachers who had came out to see waht all the commotion was about.

Kai looked around him to find a group of boys had gathered round to watch the fight which was now over. The head teacher pushed through them and pointed a finger at the two boys.

"You two! My office! Now!"

Kai groaned as he realised just how much trouble he was going to get into for this.

* * *

Kai sat alone outside the headmaster's office. Sander's parents had already been in and left and, judging by Sander's triumphant smirk, he had got away with everything. Kai knew that he wouldn't be so lucky. 

"Come in."

Kai pushed himself off the chair and entered the smokefilled office. He sat in the chair in front of the head. He was a weedy man who premanently smelled of cigarette smoke. He wore a brown wig which obviously the purpose ofcovering thehis bald patch since his hair was too short for a comb over.

He cleared his throat and tugged on thesleeves of his tweed jacket. "When you first came here, I made it prefectly clear that should you pose as a threat to any of my sudents, it wouldresult in a direct explusion. Am I right?"

"But he started-" Kai began

"Am I right?"He bellowed.

"Yes.

"And would you say breaking a pupil's nose is a threatening behaviour, Kai?"

"It was either mine or his!" Kai protested.

"Answer the question."

"Yes." He said through clenched teeth.

He shook his head in sympathy. "I have no other option then than to ask you to pack up your belongings and leave the premises immediately. You're parents have been notified and havearranged for a vehicle to pick you up shortly."

Kai let himself slump into his chair. His parents were going to be really disappointed in him which really stung. He slowly stood up and went to his room to pack his suitcase. As he left, he could feel all eyes on him, watching him leave. As he stood outside he noticed something. A payphone. He knew he should't have but he couldn't face his parents right now. He needed some time before he had to be told that he was nothing but a failure from the people he loved. He had had enough of that from Voltaire. Ignoring his consience, he slotted a few coins into the phone and dialled for a cab to pick him up.

Once it turned up, he got in, walking past the car that his parents had ordered for him.

"Where to, kid?" The driver asked.

Kai thought for a moment. Where should he go? Where he belonged. Where the people he cared about where.

"Tokyo." He said after a while.

He looked out the window as the car drove away. He would deal with the consequences later.

* * *

Please review!

jellybean-kitty


	3. Another Mess

I'm trying to update as often as I can but its still quite hard just now. Anyway, thanks for your reviews and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

Another Mess

_What another incredible mess you've gotten yourself into, Hiwatari,_ Kai thought bitterly as he dragged his case over to the nearest bench he could see in the deserted streets and sat down on it. He really had to pat himself on the back. This was the mother of all the stupid things he's ever done. But he was here now. He just had to work out where to go from here. He figured he could see if he could stay with Garnet and her parents but, then again, he had no idea what they thought ofhis actions after the tournament, if they knew, which Kai guessed they did since Garnet would have told them. She had a weird relationship with her mum and dad: she told them everything.

That pretty much ruled her out, then. He didn't want to stay somewhere where his every move would be monitered closely. That also ruled out living with Voltiare. The thought made him laugh aloud. He could imagine it now: he'd turn up with a suitcase full of clothes and beg for forgiveness. That wasn't going to happen anytime soon. So where else could he go? He could phone up his own family and face the music but he wasn't really in the mood to be shouted at off people who, let's face it, he didn't really know.

What a mess he had gotten himself into.

* * *

"Well that was successful." Tala said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. 

Garnet kicked him on the shin as hard as she could and Mariah sat wringing her hands together. They had indeed been successful. They had got brought attention to themselves and their issue. The only problem was that now they were in deep trouble with the school, their parents, teachers, everyone.

"Just let me do all the talking." Garnet hissed. "I know how to handle these people."

Mariah frowned at her, obviously unconvinced. "I don't mean to stick everyone else in it but...how come we're the only one's who's being punished?"

The other two shrugged. They had been waiting for God knows how long. Principle Tayler was making phonecalls to parent's and they would be 'dealt' with one she was finished.

"But it's not fair.I have a clean record and I don't want it to be marked becuase of this!"

"Hunny, you're hands will go all red and stuff if you keep rubbing them like that."

"I'll have to go to detention. Can you imagine? Me? In detention? I'll get eaten alive." The red haired girl was almost close to tears. "I don't do detention."

"Detentions the least of _you're_ worries." Tala said, lazilly. "You're a cheerleader. You're supposed to lead people. And look where you've led them."

Mariah's eyes went wide with horror and she let out a little shriek. "I'll be taken off the team! This is horrible!"

"Come on Tal, don't be mean." Garnet said. She rubbed Mariah's shoulder's sympathetically. "Don't worry. I'll get us all out of this mess. Just wait and see." She winked a heavily mascara-laden eye at her.

Tala guffawed. He knew just what Garnet had in mind and he was pretty sure that her feminine charm would have no effect on their principal since she, conventiently, happened to be a woman.

"You may come in, now." The voice was sharp as a nail.

The three shuffled their way into the office of their principle. In all their years in school, they had never seen her this mad before. Her hands were gripping the desk so hard her knuckles had gone white and her lips were so tight they had almost disappeared.

"Do you three have any idea what you have done to this school?"

They shook their heads.

"Well let me lay it out like this. The school board has been phoning and e-milaing me all morning, regarding your little stunt, asking why, on a school day, there were no pupils in school. And do you know what I had to tell them, everytime they called?" She didn't wait for an answer. "I had to tell them that some pupils had taken it apon themselves to protest for another student to be reaccepted into out school. And, can you guess what they had to say to that?"

"They said you should let him back in?" Garnet ventured, hopefully.

"No. They didn't say they should let him back in," She mimicked in a little girly voice. "They said the culprits should be expelled."

Tala pounded on her desk in anger. "That's not fair. We're trying to get a pupil back into a school were he belongs."

"He _killed_ someone."

"To save me!"

She rubbed her temples. "Look, Mr. Ivanov. If you'll let me finish." She waited for him to retreat back to the other's. "I've kept in mind all that you've done for this school and decided that no further action will be taken on this matter. All parent's have been told and if they should decide to punish you, then so be it."

"What about Kai?" Garnet asked.

"I'll admit I was reluctant at first but on speaking to majority of parent's in the Parents and Teachers Association, they see no reason why Mr. Hiwatari shouldn't be a part of our school community."

The three looked at each other in surprise.

"_However_, they request he speaks to the school council every week to be assessed in assurance that he is...stable."

Garnet huffed. "Kai _is _stable."

"That's their conditions. I suppose you can say that you were successful so I guess a congratulations is in order. But it will take some time for Kai to be reinstated. There is a mountain of paper work that must be filled out from his parents, the school board, his teachers, me. I'll let you all go back to class now, but let me tell you this, I don't want to hear that any of you has stepped out of line during this semester. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal." Garnet assured, with a sincere smile.

* * *

Hilary loved the sun more than anything else. She licked her chocolate ice cream cone slowly and let the sun's ray be absorbed into her skin, relishing the feeling. Then she felt something hit the back of her head and turned around and spied a popsicle stick lying guiltily on the ground. 

"Tyson!" She yelled in annoyance.

He chuckled nervously. "I'm sorry but you're big head makes such a good target."

She groaned inwardly. She could have gone out with anyone today so shy did she choose Tyson Granger, of all people. At least Kenny was with her. She ignored his laughter and walked on, not in the good mood she was in five minutes earlier. Then she spotted some one who looked familiar: not from having met him but that face was so distinguishable.

"Hey, Tyson." She said to the bluenette. "Isn't that Kai?" She pointed to the boy sitting on the bench across from where she was walking.

He screwed up his eyes to try and make him out. "Yeah! What's he doing here?"

"I want to meet him. Can you please introduce us?" She asked, her hands clasped together pleadingly.

"Well, yeah, I guess."

"But don't expect much." Kenny warned.

* * *

Kai felt a shadow block the sunlight from him and looked up to see a Tyson Granger, grinning at him like a mad man. He had completely forgotten that he lived here to. 

"Hi, Kai! I had no idea you were coming to Tokyo!"

"I wasn't."

"Oh. Well why are you here then?"

"I was expelled from my school. Broke a guy's nose." He said monotonously.

Tyson remain silent as he took that bit of information in.

"You broke a guy's nose? Why?" Hilary asked.

Kai looked at the new girl for the first time. He assumed it must be Tyson's, or Kenny's, girlfriend. her chocolate hair was gleaming almost angelically as it caught the sunlight and her ruby eyes shone almost as brightly. Those eyes were beautiful. He scanned down her body and noticed that she was quite slim, but not completely skinny.

"He was an asshole. And you are...?"

"Oh! I'm Hilary. Hilary Tatibana. I'm a friend of Tyson's and Kenny's."

Kai grunted at her greeting but didn't bother to introduce himself. She probably already knew who he was.

Hilary shifted her weight, not knowing what else to say. Kai didn't even seem to acknowledge her introduction at all. He was so rude: he didn't even introduce himself. But she noticed how handsome his face was. His eyes, such an unusual color. They were gorguess, she could just get lost in those eyes all day. His body she could tell was well sculptured. He really was as gorguess as her magazines had said.

"Are you quite finished?" Kai snapped.

"Huh?"

"Well you've been oggling me for at least five minutes now. Do you want a picture?"

Hilary felt her face go red. She had never felt so embarrassed in her whole life.

"Anyway..." Tyson attempted to change the subject. "Where are you staying? With Garnet?"

Kai shrugged. "I didn't really plan ahead, so right now, nowhere."

Tyson looked thoughtful for a moment. "You can come stay with me!" He smiled as if he couldn't quite believe he came up with it.

"What-"

"Yeah." Tyson put nodded vigorously. "My grandpa won't mind. He knows what happened and completely understands."

Kai rubbed his arm uncomfortably. "As much as I appreciate the offer, Tyson, I don't think it;s a good idea."

"Nonsence." Tyson exclaimed."Come on, I'll take you to my place."

Kai felt himself be lead away by Tyson, Hilary and Kenny in tow.He couldn't find it in himself to say no. Tyson looked so eager. He never knew, maybe this could work out?

* * *

Pleae review!

jellybean-kitty


	4. New Friends, New Feelings

I just thought I'd tell you that I wrote practically all this chapter while listening to the Magical Trevor Song!

Thanks for the reviews!

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

New Friends, New Feelings

Hilary sighed impatiently as she sat on Tyson's porch with Kenny. They had both been waiting for a while as Grandpa Granger spoke to Kai and Tyson, oviously pleased that Kai was coming to stay but he wanted to lay out some 'ground rules', in his own words. She flopped onto her back and let her hair spread underneath her head providing a cushion on top of the wooden floorboards. She looked over at Kenny who was typing on his laptop as usual. She had a feeling this would be a long day.

* * *

Meanwhile, inside Tyson's sitting room, Kai was watching in mild amusement as Tyson and Grandpa joked around with each other. He would never dream of having that kind of relationship with Voltaire. They seemed to really enjoy being in each other's company, like a real family. 

"So, anyway Kai dude, if you are going to stay with us for a while I need to make sure its okay with your parents." Kai nodded. He figured as much. "And also there are rules in this house which I would expect you to follow. Number one," He held up a finger, "You clean up after yourself. Feel free to help yourself the grub in the kitchen but make sure you don't leave any of it lying around. Number two: if you're going out, I want to know what time you'll be back at and how you're getting home. I heard from Garnet that you're quite the party animal, huh?" Tyson looked at him in disbelief. "Well we're all young once so as long as I know you'll get back here okay, it's cool with me. But don't come home drunk, okay lil dude? I know sometimes you can get carried away but I ain't wanting to sit up with you while you barf your way into next week."

Kai shifted uncomfortably. "I wouldn't dream of drinking."

Grandpa eyed him, not quite believing. "Yeah, me too. Anyway, rule number three: I want you to treat this place as your own. Mi casa es su casa and all that jazz. If you need anything Tyson or me will be more than happy to help you out."

"Thanks, sir. I really appreciate it." Kai said earnestly.

Grandpa waved a hand in dismissal. "Don't mention it. And none of this 'sir' malarky. Everyone calls me Grandpa and you can do the same."

"We call him Granpa on account of how old he is," Tyson joked.

The old man swiped at him playfully. "You keep that up and you won't live long enough to get old."

"Sure, Gramps." He laughed.

"Well I better phone this little dudes folks. They're probably wondering were you are." On that note, he walked out the room leaving Kai with Tyson.

Kai looked around at his surroundings. The place had the same feeling as his parents did. It felt like it could easily become his home. He let himself fall back onto the cushioned, blue couch and watched Tyson as he continued to laugh. It surely wasn't that funny.

Feeling Kai staring at him, he stopped abruptly and ran a hand through his blue hair in embarrassment. "Me and Grandpa carry on a lot. You'll get used to it."

"Hn." Kai grunted.

"Uhh...yeah. I'll show you where you can sleep." He led Kai out of the sitting room and up the stairs which were across from it. He stopped at the first room at the top. "This is my room. You're not staying in here but I thought I should point it out anyway." It was a typical young boy's room with a bed, no T.V, Kai noticed, and closets, wardrobes ect. He followed Tyson to the next room. "Thisis the bathroom. There's a shower and bath."

"I can see that, Tyson." Kai said.

"Just checking. The next room is my brother Hiro's but he doesn't live here anymore. This is where you can sleep."

Kai went in and noticed his suitcase had already been taken up. The room wasn't very big, smaller that Tyson but it looked cosy. There was a bed, a wardrobe and a chest of drawers. The whole room was a pale blue shade and from the window he overlooked the whole front garden. Overall, he quite like it. It wasn't what he was used to but it felt welcoming.

"Thanks Tyson." He said.

"No problem. I'll leave you to unpack. Come outside when you're ready, okay?"

Kai nodded absentmindedly and began to put his clothes into orderly piles inside the drawers, hanging his jeans and trousers neatly in the wardrobe. Once he was satisfied everything was tidy and organised he went to find Grandpa. He wanted to know what his parent's had said. There would be angry with him and he knew it but they didn't understand. He wasn't ready to move away. This place was his home. It may not seem like it but he belonged here, with Garnet and everyone. He couldn't and wouldn't leave them behind him. Never

"Kai!" Grandpa called to him. "They want to talk to you." He held out the phone for him to take.

Kai was brought our of his thoughts and realised he'd been staring into space for the last few mintutes. He took the phone from him and raised it to his ear.

"Hello?" He said hesitantly.

"Kai!" His mom gushed. "I've been so worried."

"I'm alright, mom. Really."

"God! How could you do that to us?"

"I'm sorry." He wasn't really.

"You didn't even call to let us know!" Her vioce had gone unnaturally high.

"I said I'm sorry."

"I know you did and let me tell you you would be if you were over here. What got into you, pcking a fight like that when you knew that you needed to be on full disipline."

"I didn't pick the fight. I just finished it. Besides I wasn't going to let anyone walk all over me. I'm not like that."

She sighed on the other end. "I didn't think you were. Well, we're jsut going to have to find somewhere else for you to go butfor now, I suppose its okay if you stay with Tyson. Hopefully he can keep you out of trouble."

"Yes mom." Kai said, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Well I'll let you go then. I love you."

"Bye."

He cut the phone off and handed it back to Grandpa, ignoring his disapproving stare and started to make his way outside before another thought crossed his mind. His friends wouldn't know he was back yet.

"Could I phone Garnet? I don't think she knows I'm here," Kai asked.

Grandpa handed him the phone back. "Sure, little man. Take as long as you want."

Kai thanked him and dialled her number, relaxing as he heard her friendly and soothing voice.

* * *

"How's Kai settling in?" Kenny asked Tyson, thinking of nothing better to say. 

The bluenette shrugged. "Okay, I guess. He didn't say much."

Hilary snorted. "Surprising. If you ask me, he's just plain rude."

"I don't think they did ask you," Kai said coldly as joined them.

"Well I just thought I'd comment anyway," Hilary countered determined to not letting his cold front intimidate her.

"Uh...Well anyway I guess you're all unpacked. What took you so long?" Tyson asked in an attempt to stop the two from physically assaulting each other. He doubtedKai would stand a chance against Hilary's fowl temper, although he knew he could be proven wrong.

Kai leaned againstone of thewooden posts which supported porch. "I was on the phone to Garnet. She's coming round."

Tyson groaned. "That's all we need."

"Is she your girlfriend? I think I read something in the newspaper about her," Hilary asked Kai who shook his head.

"Ex-girlfriend."

"But they're really close," Kenny added.

As if on cue, Garnet came through the entrance gate, smiled at everyone and instantly launched herself at Kai, hugging him tightly. They stood for a few seconds in each other's arms before Kai finally let her go.

"Oh my god! How _are_ you?" She smiled widely at her. "It seems like ages since I last saw you."

"I know." Kai took her in for the first time. She looked like she'd put on a bit of weight. Not too much but enough to fill out her curves in all the right places. "You look great."

She flicked her glossy black hair at the compliment. "You too, but I'm sure you already know that." She turned to the rest of the group. "Hey guys!" She hugged Tyson and Kenny in turn. Then she came to Hilary. "I don't think we've met. I'm Garnet." She extended her hand to the other girl.

"I'm Hilary," She said taking Garnet in.

Her presence alone overshadowed her. Confidence oozed from every bit of her body. She was an image of perfection: her mass of shiny, thick black hair came to beneath her shoulders, her teeth were perfectly white and her eyes an ocean blue colour and framed in black eyeliner. Her black eyelashed, obviously coated in mascara,madeher eyes even more spectacular.Her face was well sculptured and flawless with a slint hint of rouge on her cheeks.The denim short shorts she was wearing showed her perfect, smooth legs and her halterneck top showed her curves off. She was possibly the most beautiful girl she's ever met. She also knew it.

"Oh! _You're_ Hilary. Kai was telling me about you." She looked at him, winking. "You're right. She _is _pretty. I'll need to watch my back."

Kai rolled his eyes as she giggled at her own little joke. "Get over yourself."

Hilary looked down at her feet and instantly regretted it. She saw even her feet every bit as glamorous as she was, with her pedicured toes peeping out through her sandals. She felt a soft arm hang around her shoulders and Garnet's manicured handfall limply over them.

"I'm kidding!" She said, sensing that Hilary was uneasy. "Except Kai really does think you're pretty." She whispered the last bit.

She looked at the othergirl in disbelief. Compared to her, she was just a smudge. Why would anyone think about her when Garnet was near?

Said girl rubbed her stomach as it let out a low rumble. "Geez, I'm starved. We gonna eat or what?" She said to Tyson who grinned.

"I thought you'd never ask. I suggest pizza..."

"...topped with cheese and tomato..."

"...and peppers."

The two cousins laughed at each other as they walked to the kitchen, followed by Kenny. Hilary began to follow but stopped as she felt a strong hand on her arm. She turned round to see Kai looking at her with his crimson orbs.

"Don't be put off by Garnet." He said, softly.

She smiled wryly. "It's kinda hard. She's so gorguess and glamorous. I feel so unworthy just standing next to her."

"Don't," He said simply and began to walk away but stopped before he walked in the doorway. "I've only just met you andI don't really know you that well sothere's no point in me saying anything more." He continued on.

"Thanks anyway," She said. "Oh and Kai?" The teen stopped again."I don't think you're so rude anymore."

Kai turned to her and smirked before finally joining the other's in the kitchen.

* * *

What do you think? Please review!

jellybean-kitty


	5. DIBS!

Got my computer back! Lol. Hopefully it'll work for a while now:P

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

DIBS! 

Garnet licked her long, French manicured and polished nail, stuck it in the middle of the biggest slice of the two pizzas and screamed: "DIBS!"

The others looked up in alarm at the sudden outburst of the black haired girl and reached for their own bits.

"Aww, no fair!" Tyson protested as she sucked the cheese and tomato sauce out of her nail and giggled. "I was holding napkins!"

"All's fair in love and war, Tyson," She said as she bit into her pizza, causing it to leave a tomato sauce stain all around the edge of her mouth and her chin.

"Very attractive, Garnet," Kai said, sarcastically while eating his own bit of pizza. He looked at her in disgust as she stuck her tongue out, showing everyone half eaten pizza. "You are actually a beast."

She swallowed what was in her mouth and licked the outside of it until she was felt it was all gone before scrunching up a napkin and throwing it at Kai. He glared at her as it hit his forehead. She waggled her eyebrows at him. Smiling menacingly he held up his slice and looked from it to Garnet and then back again. Her smug smile instantly disappeared as she realised what he was about to do. She tried to hold up her hands to protect herself but, with his free hand, Kai held them down. She winced as she felt the warm, gooey pizza rub into her face. Kai laughed out loud as everyone the other boys tried to hold theirs in. Hilary, out of respect for Garnet, didn't laugh but watched silently and in surprise.

Garnet peeled the pizza off her face leaving splotched patches of tomato and cheese and said, "Kai, I actually hate you."

"Oh, come on. You wanna laugh." He said, teasingly.

"Oh _sure_ I do. I just got pizza on my face and look," She held out a few strands of hair, "It's in my hair!"

Kai bit his lip so stop himself from laughing. "I'm sorry."

"You aren't!"

"I am."

"Prove it!" She held out the guilty pizza slice. "Eat it."

Kai looked at it, disgust on his face. "I can't eat _that_. It's been on your face. It'll have all your make-up and stuff mixed in with it."

"It'll it give it an extra….zing. Besides, _if_ you're sorry you'll eat it."

He timidly took the pizza from her hand and slowly raised it to his mouth. Little by little, it crept closer inside until he took a bite out of it, his face twisted in repulsion. Everyone cheered as he swallowed the first mouthful and bit into it a second time.

"I'm gonna wash this off my face. You better eat it all!" She warned.

As soon as she was gone, Kai ran over to the bin and spat it out and threw the rest into it. He poured a glass off water, gargled it and spat it out in the sink before returning to the table in time for Garnet coming back with a clean face.

Hilary ate silently as Garnet, Kai and Tyson continued to carry on. She had realised Tyson was childish: she'd seen it first hand. But Kai and Garnet? She supposed all girls are sometimes a little but what was Kai's excuse? Kenny also looked quite shocked at his behaviour and he'd been with Kai a lot longer than she had. It was nice, she thought, that even he seemed to let go once in a while. Maybe he wasn't the sourpuss everyone made him out to be?

"Earth to Hilary!" Tyson's voice interrupted. "We're going to watch some television. Are you coming?"

"Uh…sure." She said.

The rest walked slowly as Garnet and Tyson ran past them and heard a triumphant "DIBS" from her and a loud groan from him.

Kai took a seat beside Garnet who instantly swung her legs over his and rested her head on the end of the couch letting her long hair hang over it. Next to Tyson sat Kenny who had a particularly small area of couch to sit on since Tyson had curled up his legs and taken over half of the thing. Hilary, seeing that there was no room beside her friends, sat beside Kai.

"That's right! Sit beside the cool people," Garnet said and stretched her legs out over Hilary's. She saw Hilary's expression of surprise as a pair of feet now rested on her lap and giggled. "You don't mind do you? They're clean, anyway."

"She had her annual bath this morning," Kai muttered to Hilary.

"What?" Garnet said in a dotery voice.

"Nothing."

Satisfied, Garnet began to flick through the channels until she found something everyone wanted to watch which ended up being a movie about a murderer who turned his victims into wax works: the best part of which, according to Tyson, had been when Paris Hilton was murdered. No one disagreed. After the film they settled on watching a music channel which had been chosen based Garnet's particular mood of the evening-"Oooo themes from movies! We _have_ to watch this!"- which everyone had more or less agreed too.

"Garnet?" Tyson asked after some time, "Everyone else is staying tonight. Do you want to?"

Garnet looked at him in confusion. "I was staying anyway. Didn't Kai tell you."

"Where are you gonna sleep?"

"In Kai's bed."

"Then where's Kai gonna sleep?"

"In Kai's bed."

"You mean, you and him together?"

"Yeah. I do it with my girlfriends so why not him. Why? Something wrong?"

"I guess not."

"I didn't see you bring a bag," Kai said.

"Oh that's alright," Garnet replied with a wave of her hand, "I'll borrow your stuff. Hilary you'll have cleanser and stuff right?"

"Uhh, no. I don't wear make-up," she replied, feeling Garnet's go wide in disbelief.

"You don't wear make-up? Geez, what kind of girl _are _you?" Garnet incredulously said.

"Garnet…" Kai warned as Hilary rubbed her arm uncomfortably.

"Oh, she knows I'm kidding…right Hils?" she stared pointedly at the other girl.

Feeling you had no other answer, Hilary replied: "I guess so."

"See!"

They all sat for a while longer until it reached twelve o'clock when Grandpa came in and suggested it was time for Tyson to get the beds ready for everyone. Hilary, Tyson and Kenny, it had been decided, were going to sleep in the dojo while Garnet and Kai slept in his bed.

After cleaning her teeth, using her finger as a brush- an old trick she had learned from Mariah- Garnet took one of Kai's longer t-shirts and put it on over her semi-naked form. After she was ready, Kai came in with his usual sleeping gear which was tracksuit bottoms and nothing else.

"You know, there was a time when that would turn me on," Garnet said as Kai slid in beside her.

He grunted.

"Oh, come on. I'm kidding."

He grunted again.

"What is up with you?"

Kai turned round so he was facing her. "When did you turn into a bitch? It is recent or have I just never noticed before?"

"What? Bitch? How was I a bitch?" Garnet asked, feeling anger rise up.

"The way you were treating Hilary. It wasn't nice at all and I felt embarrassed of you. You really made her feel uncomfortable, G."

"I was just joking around. I do it with all my friends!"

Kai sighed. "Garnet, Hilary is _not_ your friend. Not yet anyway. You may get away with it with people who know you better but for some one like Hilary she's just going to think you're a nasty piece of work. I mean, she'll be thinking that you think you're better than her and the way you were acting, she isn't wrong."

"Oh my God. I had no idea." Garnet frowned. "I didn't mean to hurt her. I'll apologise tomorrow, okay?"

Kai nodded. "I'm turning the light off."

The room plunged into darkness and Kai felt himself drift off into sleep. Until Garnet nudged him awake again.

"What?" He said, clearly irritated.

"You really like her don't you?"

"Huh?"

"Hilary? You like don't you?"

"I guess. I mean I don't know her that well."

"Since when had that mattered?" Garnet pointed out.

"I suppose it's never really before but things are different now. I…want to change who I am. Or was. After the tournament, after I…you know…Tala's brother?"

"Murdered?"

"Do you have to say it like that?"

"It's what you're thinking. I bet that's why you haven't told Tala you're back yet. You think he'll hold a grudge."

"I guess."

"He doesn't. He would have killed him himself if he could. But anyway, go on."

"What I did at the tournament, with Biovault and all…I…don't want to be that person anymore. I don't want to be anything like what Voltaire tried to make me. I don't want to be that corrupt blader who only wanted power and didn't care about anything else." Kai sighed. "I guess I want to change me. I want to be a better person. So until I am, I want to wait. Do you understand?"

"I think so," Garnet said, slowly, "doesn't mean I believe you're right but I think I know what you're saying."

"Good," He chuckled softly. "I've been waiting for weeks to talk to some one about this."

"It must have been lonely," she said softly.

"A little."

Garnet put her arms around his waist and let her head rest on his chest. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." He returned her hug and once again felt himself drift into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

Please review! 

jellybean-kitty


	6. Old Friends

Hey guys! Computer's still working lol. I may not update for a while becuase I'm going on holiday soon butI'll do what I can

Disclaimer; I don't own Beyblade

Old Friends 

"I'm going out today, guys," Kai announced at the breakfast table.

"Where are you going?" Tyson asked with a mouth full of cereal.

Hilary grimaced in disgust. "Ewwww. Tyson! Say it, don't spray it!"

"I'm going to see Tala and Mariah," Kai said, trying to ignore the mushed up food Tyson was displaying to Hilary.

"Oh. Okay. Well why doesn't everyone come over later?" Tyson suggested.

Kai frowned. "No offence, Tyson, but I don't think they'll want to come over. It's just, we haven't seen each other in a while so…"

"It's cool. I totally understand!" The bluenette smiled reassuringly. "So you'll be back later. What time? Grandpa will want to know."

"Don't know. Eventually."

Tyson frowned. "That's not much help."

"Well, it's the truth. _We_ generally don't have a curfew, least of all Kai," said Garnet as she walked into the kitchen fully dressed and fully made up.

Hilary looked at Kai in surprise. She would have expected his parents to be mega strict compared to other parents but when she looked at Kai's expression, he looked almost….sad.

"The people who board, they're not supposed to be out anyway so it doesn't matter what time they caught at, if they get caught at all." Garnet continued as if that explained everything.

"Ready?" Kai asked her, all expression instantly gone.

She nodded and waved a goodbye to the others sitting at the table while Kai just walked out ahead of her, figuring Garnet would say his farewells for him.

"Oh two seconds, Kai! I need to give Hilary this," She said and walked into the room and over to Hilary, giving her a massive hug.

Hilary looked at her in confusion but gingerly returned it, taking in the full entrapment of her sweet perfume. Then she felt something being shoved into her hand.

"I hope you don't mind, but I _always_ give my girlfriends hugs when I leave them." Garnet smiled at her.

"O-o-oh, s-s-sure." Hilary stuttered.

Waving one last time Garnet went to join Kai outside who looked at her in amusement.

"What was that about?"

Garnet smiled mischievously. "Nothing. Just keeping my word. That's all."

"What was that about?" Asked Dizzi when Garnet was well and truly out of earshot.

"Yeah. Even for Garnet that's pretty…random," Kenny agreed.

Tyson waved it off. "Trust me, you get to Garnet enough to know that, well, for an It girl, she's pretty weird." He laughed at his own joke like it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard.

Hilary ignored the boy's and computerised female's remarks and opened the piece of pink, glittery paper that Garnet had given her so discreetly. She obviously didn't want anyone else knowing what it said. She looked at it in surprise.

_Dear Hilary!_

_I just wanted you to know that I'm sooo sorry about last night! I was soooo nasty and stuff and I completely didn't mean to be. I thought you'd take it as a joke since everyone does. But then Kai spoke to me-I'd watch him by the way:P- and I realised that we're not friends. Well, yet anyway. So you wouldn't know that I'm joking if you don't know me, right? So, anyway, I hope you can forgive and I really wanna be friends, okay?_

_I didn't want to say in front of the guys and stuff because you know how immature they can be and I also didn't know when I'd get a chance to talk to you alone so I thought, ah heck, just right her a note, sweetie. So I did._

_Love Garnet_

_XxXxX_

"Hilary what's wrong? What's that?" Tyson asked, trying to read over her shoulder.

Hilary looked at him in amused bafflement. "Even her letters are perfumed."

* * *

"Kai!" Screamed Mariah when he appeared out of nowhere with Garnet. She got up off the swing she was sitting on and bear hugged him. "I missed you!" 

"Me too," Said Kai, squeezing her tightly.

Tala pushed himself off the metal beam he had been leaning on and nodded to Kai. "It's good to see you."

"You too," He replied.

"We have news for you!" Garnet had a huge grin on her face that almost resembled the ones Tyson gave.

Mariah joined her by her side and they put their arms around each other's waists before screaming in unison: "WE GOT YOU BACK INTO OAKWOOD!"

"Wh-what?"

"We got you back into Oakwood!" Mariah repeated. "It was all Garnet's idea really. She rallied the _entire_ school into a protest and because it was during school, parents had to be called but since Principal Tayler was calling anyway, she decided to ask them all about you and it turned out that no one really had any reservations about you being in school, since, let's face it, no one really knows what happened or that it even happened, except the four of us!"

"And she made it all in one breath," Tala sounded impressed.

Kai couldn't believe it. "Really? They're just going to let me back in like that?"

"Welll…no. Not exactly." Garnet said. "They want you to talk to the school council on a weekly basis as your interviewed by a councillor. They need to know you're 'stable'" She added air quotes.

"They think I'm crazy?" Kai said sharply.

The two girls looked at each other awkwardly and nudged at Tala for support. He sighed and folded his arms, leaning back on the beam.

"They don't think you're crazy. They just want to make sure. If they thought you were crazy you wouldn't be in the position you're in. Furthermore, if you believe you're not insane then you'll have no problem with a weekly assessment. Am I right.?" Tala said as he cocked his eyebrow.

Kai shrugged nonchalantly. "Sure. I have nothing to prove." He didn't feel like it though.

"There's one more thing," Garnet said, watching Kai closely for any signs he might loose it. "If you put one toe out of line you'll be booted right back out."

Kai sighed deeply. "So when can I go back?"

"We're not sure, exactly." Mariah said. "Soon, though. I think they've still to speak to your parents still need to give their permission or something."

"I think, giving the severity of the situation and the fact that you have exams quite soon, it would only make sense for you to be back sometime next week." Tala said.

"What about boarding? What did they say about that?" Kai asked.

"Actually, they didn't say anything," Mariah told him.

"So where am I meant to go?"

Garnet let out a little burst of incredulous laughter. "Are you actually mad? I'm sorry but did I not see all your clothes unpacked at my cousin's last night or am I the one that's crazy?"

"Garnet!" Tala and Mariah said together, scolding her.

Looking at his hurt expression Garnet felt a pang of guilt. She ran a hand through her hair. "Not that I think you _are _crazy or anything. I'm just saying that I think Tyson's expecting you to be staying for a while. Until summer anyway, which isn't that long away."

"I suppose I could stay with him a little longer," Kai said hesitantly.

"That's great! Everything's gonna work out fine!" She exclaimed.

They found a spot of grass to lye down on together and talked for what must have been hours. It had been so long since they had been together like that. Eventually, after the conversation had ran out, they remained silent and enjoyed each other's company, just watching the clouds pass by overhead. Garnet turned to see Tala looking at her, closely. She stuck her tongue out at him and he gave her a weird look before turning away from her, though not completely.

Kai watched them out of the corner of his eye, realising just how much he had missed out in such a short period of time. He wondered if it would be the same when he went to Russia at the summer. It had never been him who went away and now he realised that going away meant missing out on everyone growing up, even if it was only for a few weeks. He didn't like that thought.

Garnet sat up and stretched her arms above her head. "What's wrong, Kai? You look worried?"

"It's nothing."

"Oh. Well, if you're sure. Can some one come with me for ice cream?" She asked.

"I will." Tala said quickly.

"Okay. We'll be back in, like, fifteen minutes. See you guys."

Mariah stood up and walked back towards the swings and sat on one, gently swinging herself. Kai followed at sat on the one next to her. He suddenly didn't feel like swinging though.

"How long has that been going on for?" He asked, indicating the direction Tala and Garnet went.

"Since you left." Mariah answered. "I think Tala wants something a bit more serious you know?"

"I suppose it's about time. He never seems to want a relationship does he? He's quite happy to have a no strings attached shag." Kai joked.

Mariah chuckled, knowing this was too close to the truth. "They won't do anything though. Because of you and Garnet. I think they're worried about what you'd say or feel."

"Surely they know I wouldn't mind?"

"Well, they probably don't want to risk it."

Kai didn't say anything else. He looked over at Mariah and saw she was looking away from him. When she looked back, he saw there were tears in her eyes.

"You didn't come see me," she said quietly.

"What?" He asked, baffled.

"When I was in hospital. Everyone else came but not you. I mean I had your team mates come but you didn't. My own cousin and best friend."

Kai looked away. "I would have if I could have. Surely you know that?"

Mariah smiled sadly. "I thought you would have found a way. Kai always finds a way."

"Mariah…I don't know what to say. If there was _any_ way I could have visited, I would have."

"You didn't send flowers or anything. Not even a get well card. Did you just forget about us when you went away?"

"Of course not!" He said sharply. "You expected all these things from me but you didn't realise what it was actually like for me! I was completely on my own with no way of contacting you. God knows I tried Mariah, isn't that good enough." He paused before muttering: "I thought I'd gotten away from all that…"

"You were the one person I wanted to be there, Kai. Not my parents, not Garnet, not Tala. Not even Ray. You. But you weren't there. You didn't come." She felt Kai's strong arms fold across her back. "I just wanted you to be there." She sobbed.

Kai felt her tears hit his shoulders and held her even tighter. He hadn't realised Mariah felt that way. He thought she would have understood. Then he remembered all that had happened between them before she had been shot. He had taken her bitbeast in cold blood. She would have needed to know that he was still there for her and when it came to it he wasn't.

"I'm so sorry," He pulled away.

"It's okay." She said, wiping her tears away. "I'm sorry too. I've just been keeping it in too long and when we were together alone I couldn't stop thinking about it. I suppose I wasn't even in that long."

"Does it still hurt?" He asked.

"No. Not anymore. It did. I mean, wow, you know? I was shot. It was a strange sensation." She said, semi-hiccupping. "Hey, there's Tala and Garnet back."

Garnet approached with a large chocolate ice cream, slowly running her tongue over it and letting it melt into her mouth. She looked like she was in heaven. Tala, Kai noticed, hadn't got anything. Or if he had, he'd finished it already, although he doubted he could eat faster than Garnet. Not many people could. Even Tyson would possibly struggle.

He looked at the way Tala and Garnet were shooting each other little glances and smirked. "You know, I don't know why I'm saying this, but I think if I ever had an ex-girlfriend who was now a friend and another friend wanted to go out with her, I don't think I'd care in the slightest so long as they both were happy."

"Uh…thanks, Kai," Tala said, looking at him strangely. "I'll keep that in mind?"

"Please do," Kai said.

* * *

Please review! 

jellybean-kitty


	7. The Kiss

I've tried to update as soon as possible:P I hope you enjoy this chapter becuase I loved writing this!

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade  


The Kiss 

Kai crept back into Tyson's house that night. He was unsure of the time but was certain it was later that Tyson's bedtime. He saw Grandpa's light still on in his room so he figured it wouldn't be safe to go to his room. Grandpa would hear him coming a mile away. He noticed that the dojo door was ajar which meant that he could creep in there and sleep. Then no one could accuse him of anything. So long as Tyson didn't tell. He, quietly as he could, slid the door open and once inside closed it fully. He frowned when he saw that Tyson hadn't left anything out for him, which meant he would have to sleep on the floor. He walked past the sleeping forms of all the Bladebreakers and Hilary and found a spot at the back of the room. He grabbed a jacket, he didn't know who it belonged nor did he care, and folded it under his head as a makeshift pillow.

"What time do you call this, Kai?" Tyson shouted as loud as he could in a whisper.

Kai groaned. "I don't know. Enlighten me."

"Well its way after one o'clock. When you said late, I thought you'd mean about eleven or something. I actually had to lie to my grandpa to cover for you."

Kai could sense a hurt in his voice which he gathered was pretty much his fault. Somehow, though, he didn't really care. "Like you've never lied to him before, Tyson."

Tyson sat upright. "Never."

The way he said it seemed like he was challenging Kai to say otherwise. Kai, on the other hand, tried not to show his surprise.

"Jesus Tyson. You're fourteen-"

"Fifteen."

"Fifteen," he corrected himself. "and you've never actually lived a day in your life. I was kind of wondering why you didn't have many friends but now I know, it doesn't surprise me." Kai regretted it the minute he said it. "Shit, Tyson I didn't mean to say that." When Tyson didn't reply he decided to give up and go to sleep. There was nothing he could do now.

"The friends I have are worth twenty of your fake ones Kai." Tyson countered, eventually. "You're only _real_ friends are Tala, Mariah and Garnet. And even at that one of them is your cousin and technically doesn't even count."

Kai ignored this statement, knowing there was more truth in it that he was comfortable with.

"Have you been drinking tonight?" The bluenette asked.

"What? I was catching up with some old friends." Kai replied, coolly.

"And drink was involved." Tyson sighed. "It's a bit obvious Kai. Firstly, you make one heck of a racket opening and closing that door. Then you, like, stagger across the room. And I can smell it."

Kai smirked to himself. "Like I said. Catching up with old friends."

"But, Kai if Grandpa found out-"

"He'd what? _Ground_ me?" Kai chuckled. "Forget about it Tyson. This is the closest thing I've ever had to freedom and I'm not going to waste it because _you're_ to much of a pussy let me be."

"But Kai-"

"I said forget about it!" Kai snapped.

There was something in his voice that made Tyson back down. He pulled his covers over himself and lay down to sleep.

"Prick," Kai heard him mutter.

_You have no idea, Tyson, _Kai thought.

* * *

The next morning Kai was more than aware of Tyson's anger. Every look he cast at him was a glare. He wasn't the only one who had noticed. Ray and Max had questioned them both and Hilary and Kenny remained quite. The tension was making everyone uncomfortable. 

The phone rang in the other room and Kai, sensing it would be for him, stood up to go answer it.

"This isn't your house, Kai." Tyson snapped. "Some one who _lives_ here can answer it."

Kai clenched his fists in a bid to suppress his anger at Tyson's tone. He stood where he was and glared back at Tyson. Tyson eventually looked away and instead fixed his eyes the door where he could here his Grandpa yelling.

"Kai, little man." He boomed. "It's a phone all for you."

Kai left the room where he could have some privacy.

"Soooo…" Hilary asked. "What's wrong with you and Kai?"

"He said things last night that he shouldn't have," Tyson replied bitterly.

"Like what?"

"Things."

"I'm not saying that we should be making exceptions or anything but it is Kai," said Ray. "I mean, he's got it rough."

"What do you mean?" Asked Hilary.

Tyson sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "I guess you have a point. I don't think he meant what he said. He was pretty drunk."

Max chuckled. "That sounds like Kai. Something's going wrong in your life, it's cool! Just get legless and all will be well!"

"Come on Max." Ray said. "He's not _that_ bad."

They immediately shut up when Kai re-entered the kitchen with a deep frown on his face.

"What's up, Kai?" Ray asked.

"Well I'm starting back tomorrow-"

"That explains it," joked Max.

Kai glared at him to shut up. "But, Matt's coming to school, too."

"Matt?" Ray asked. "As in your little brother?"

"Isn't he like ten?" Tyson said.

"Eleven soon. But apparently he's like some prodigy or whatever. Because of this he's had to be put up a year or two."

"Umm…why our school?"

"I don't know." Kai replied.

"When's he starting?"

"Sometime during the week. I think it's going to be a big family gathering."

"You don't seem to happy?" Hilary asked softly.

"I have no reason to be."

"They're your family!"

"No. They're just my parents. It's not the same thing."

"That's not fair! What have they done to you to make you so bitter?" Tyson kicked her under the table. "Ow!"

Kai ignored her question and walked away from them until he was outside in the fresh air. He hated it when people wanted to talk about his family. It was a touchy subject. Why didn't anyone understand that. He removed Dranzer from his pocket and stared at his old friend.

"Sorry it's been a while."

He launched his blade and it roam around Tyson's garden. Then he was aware he wasn't alone. Hilary stood at the door watching him. She walked down and stood beside him, watching his blade.

"I'm sorry." She said. "I didn't mean to pry. I obviously don't know what's happened in your life."

"It's okay."

"If you ever want to talk about it I want you to know I'll be more than happy to listen. I know sometimes it can be easier to talk to some one who isn't exactly a friend." She placed her hand on his arm. "I mean it."

He stared into her ruby eyes. "I'll think about it." He called Dranzer back and went back inside.

Hilary watched him go. There was so much she wanted to know about him. She wanted to know everything. She wondered how long it would be until she got a chance.

* * *

Kai walked confidently through the hallways of Oakwood, nodding at familiar faces and greeting people as they greeted him. He was well aware that some people regarded him with a sort of edginess. Then it occurred to him that no one really knew why he was expelled in the first place. It hadn't been fully reported. The incident had maybe, but not his involvement. He had been given anonymity because he was a minor and he would need his identity protected so he could move on. All in all, only a handful of people know that he murdered Kristoff. For all anyone else knew he was had been kidnapping old ladies. 

No wonder they were uneasy.

"What's on your mind, Kai?" Mariah asked on their way to maths.

"It's weird how many people don't actually know what happened, yet they followed you guys like sheep to get me back in," he said.

Mariah regarded him. "What's brought his about?"

"Nothing. It's just something Tyson said."

"Oh. Ray told me that you had an argument yesterday. Things are okay now, right?"

Kai chewed his lip. "It was two nights ago. I came home from Christine's a bit pissed-"

"A bit?" laughed Tala who came up behind them. "Kai, you were more than a bit pissed."

"Well I sobered up on the walk home." He retorted. "And I wasn't very nice to him. In his own words, I was a prick."

"I gather you're talking about Tyson, huh?" Tala asked.

Kai nodded.

"Well, did you apologise?" Mariah asked.

"Kind of. He started talking to me again so I figured everything was fine."

Mariah shook her head in exasperation and muttered something that sounded like 'men'.

"Don't listen to her, Kai." Tala said, putting an arm round his shoulder. "There's a little thing called male pride on the line here. Apologise, and you lose it. You see, you weren't really out of line because when you're drunk then you don't have control over what you say or do. You therefore have nothing to apologise for."

Mariah snorted. "Ha. You don't actually get what's going on."

"I think he's more angry he had to lie to keep me out of trouble and then I reward him by coming home drunk."

Mariah flashed Tala an I-told-you-so look.

"So apologise then." Tala said. "What do you want from me?"

"Your blood," said Mariah.

Kai looked at them strangley. "Gingers," he said.

* * *

"How was your first day back?" Tyson asked as soon as Kai came in the door. 

Kai was about to reply when he saw two other pairs of shoes lying on his porch.

"It was fine," He gestured towards the shoes. "Do they live here now?"

Tyson chuckled. "Well you do so I guess they're just joining the club."

Tyson looked at Kai expectantly and Kai raised a grey-blue eyebrow.

"I know you can see this coming," Kai said.

The bluenette smiled innocently. "I don't know what you mean."

"I'm sorry about Saturday night." He laughed humorously. "If its any consolation, I found out you were right."

"I'm always right, but what part are you talking about, exactly?" Tyson asked, obviously enjoying this.

"The friends part. I really don't have that many. I figured that out today."

"Well, feel free to share mine. I bet Hilary will be more than happy." At that moment Hilary appeared in the hall and instantly went red. Tyson followed Kai's gaze to the now fuming girl standing behind him. "I-uh mean because she likes to have friends."

Tyson tried to leg it out of there but Kai called on him.

"I've organized a training session with Max and Ray. They'll be over soon."

Tyson groaned loudly. "That's just what I need after school."

"What do you mean, Tyson?" Asked Hilary.

Tyson looked at Kai who had folded his arms and was now leaning on the wall, eyes closed.

"He's a slave driver."

* * *

"I want another lap around the block," Kai barked. 

They all groaned as they began another gruelling lap around Tyson's whole block. Kai waited with a timer until they appeared again.

"Can we step now?" Tyson panted.

"Yeah," said Max. "I can't feel my legs."

"You shouldn't have gotten so out of shape then," Kai said. "Once more."

"We've already done it ten times, Kai!" Tyson complained. "And besides, you haven't even done one."

"Don't be a baby," Hilary said. "Just do it."

"I'm not being a baby. And I don't see you doing it either!" Tyson protested.

"That's because I'm not a blader, am I?" Hilary replied.

"No, you're right. You don't have the skill to be a blader." Tyson fired back.

"Be careful Tyson. Don't make her mad." Ray warned.

"I could be just a good a blader as you if I wanted to be!" Hilary shouted.

"No you couldn't cause I am the best!" He continued saying that at Hilary until her rage boiled so much she slapped him across the cheek. "Ow!"

"Get back to training, now!" Hilary said.

"Only if you do!"

Kai glared at him. "We've already been through this. She's not on the team and doesn't need to train."

"If she's now on the team why is she here?" Tyson smiled knowingly. "She's only here because lover boy is here, isn't that right, Hilary?"

Hilary's face went beetroot red. "That is so not true!"

"Then go," Tyson said. "No one wants you here anyway."

"I will."

Hilary stormed off, leaving the boys staring at her fist clenched from.

"Way to go Tyson," Remarked Dizzi. "You really have a way with the ladies."

Tyson rubbed the back of his head. "I didn't think she's actually go. I suppose I better go after her."

He felt a hand on his shoulder as he went to follow her and watched in awe as Kai went instead. The rest of the team looked at each other in shock as they watched their captain walk in the chocolate haired girl's direction.

"There's something never thought I'd see," Said Kenny as he readjusted his glasses.

* * *

Hilary sat down on the grass and let her legs hang over the edge of the cliff. This was her favourite spot to come to when she needed to be alone. From here she could see the ocean and the beach below her. It always seemed like the grass was greener here than anywhere else. No matter what happened, she always felt better when she visited this spot. 

Except this time it didn't seem to be working. She felt tears roll down her cheeks and was annoyed with herself for letting Tyson get to her so badly. She felt embarrassed, too, for running off like that. Kai would probably think she was just a little baby now.

She heard footsteps behind her but didn't bother turning round.

"Go away Tyson," She said.

"It's not Tyson," Kai replied. "Do you mind if I sit here?"

"Uh..sure."

She moved over to create more space for Kai to sit down. He copied her position and let his legs hang over the edge too.

"You shouldn't let him get to you."

"I know. I didn't mean to."

Kai rubbed his thumb over her cheeks and wiped away her tears. She looked into his eyes as he did so. She loved those crimson eyes. She'd never seen anything else like them. She would love to get lost in those eyes.

"Kai, can you tell me about yourself?" She asked.

Kai pulled his hand away from her face. "Like what?"

"Like, what happened with your family. And I've heard the guys talking about the tournament. What happened there." She sighed when Kai didn't say anything. "Never mind. You don't have to."

She began to stand up when she felt Kai's hand on her's.

"I'm willing to tell if you're willing to listen."

She sat back down and listened intently to everything he had to say. He ran through everything that had happened in his life from the Abbey and Voltaire, to rediscovering his parents. He told her, in full detail, what had happened with Kristoff and why he was now choosing to live with Tyson. She discovered just exactly what kind of relationship he had with Garnet. She found out that she'd quite like Mariah. At the end of it she didn't say anything but just looked at him softly with her ruby eyes.

It meant everything to him.

"This is a really nice place," Kai said eventually.

"I think so too," Hilary said. "I love coming here to just think. Don't you have a special place."

"No."

"You can share mine. I call it The Spot." She laughed at herself. "A very original name."

Kai looked at her and smiled. Hilary had never seen him smile like that. Not since she's met him, not on T.V or in any pictures. It was really beautiful.

Slowly, they began to lean in towards each other. Kai put his arm around her back and let his lips meet hers. Hilary gave in to his tender kiss, letting his tongue explore her mouth and kissing him back. She breathed in his cologne and felt his hand rise up her back as the kiss grew more passionate. She let her hand run through his hair, almost unwillingly. She could feel her heart beat heavily in her chest, as if it was trying to make sure it wasn't a part of some fantastic dream.

Kai began to pull away, although he really still wanted more. "I've never met anyone like you, Hilary." He said softly. "I've never met some one that I could instantly open up to." He smiled.

Hilary let her head rest on his shoulders and together, they watched the sun setting.

* * *

What do you think? I wanted to put a littlebit of Kai/Hil fluff in as soon as I could since it was a Kai/Hil story! But anyway please review! 

jellybean-kitty


	8. First Date

Thanks for your reviews and also to Jess, who I wasn't able to reply to personally.

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade.  


First Date

"Where have you guys been?" Tyson demanded when Kai and Hilary returned. "You've been gone for hours."

"None of your business," said Kai and walked past them all and inside the house.

"Hilary….?" Tyson asked, casting her a sly look.

"He only found me, like an hour ago," The boys looked at her expectantly. "Well, I went home so by the time Kai found where I lived it had been quite a few hours. And then my mom demanded that he stay for tea."

"I'll bet he loved that," Max joked.

"I could just imagine Kai getting offered dinner at Hilary's," Tyson laughed.

The boys looked at each other and burst into fits of giggles. All except who regarded Hilary with mild interest.

Hilary had to admit it was quite a funny picture. She couldn't imagine Kai being forced to do anything, never mind having dinner with her parents. Then again, her parents were pretty controlling whenever they wanted something. Still, the thought was kind of hilarious.

She didn't quite know why Kai didn't want to tell them the truth although, in all honesty, she wasn't entirely keen on everyone knowing what they'd been up to. Basically because she didn't exactly know what was going on. They'd kissed and that was it. Kai hadn't asked her out or anything like that, they hadn't held hands on the way back to Tyson's or even swapped numbers. Maybe they both needed some time.

"What time is it?" Hilary asked, suddenly aware that the sun had actually set and the last ten minutes or so hadn't been some fantastical dream.

Tyson looked at his watch. "It's about ten thirty."

"What!" Hilary shrieked. "Oh my God, my parents are gonna kill me!"

"Hilary? Didn't you just come back from your house?" Ray asked with a slight smirk on his face.

"Uh….you see I said I'd be home for ten fifteen and I was just going to come over here to say to Tyson that I'd forgiven him," She said but Ray didn't look too convinced.

"I didn't say I was sorry," Tyson muttered and folded his arms as if to prove the point.

"What was that?" She demanded.

"If you have to go," Ray intervened, separating the pair with outstretched hands, "I'll walk you home. I kind of need to go too. Besides, Kenny's already left so he can't do it."

"I'd better go too then," Max said. "At least if everyone else is."

"Alright," Tyson said, walking them to the street. "I'll see you later. And I'll tell Kai you said bye." He jerked his thumb in the general direction of Kai's bedroom which had the light on, indicating that Kai was in there.

"Bye," They all chimed.

They walked on a bit until Max had to leave them too, turning down a side street that led to his house. They said their farewells and Ray and Hilary were left on their own, walking quickly through the many streets that led to her house. Hilary noticed Ray kept looking at her as if he knew something he shouldn't which made her more than a bit paranoid. She nervously rubbed her arm, hoping that if he did know something, he would spit it out so she could vehemently deny it.

"It's funny, Hil." He said eventually, crossing his arms and coming to a halt and a small smirk creeping on his face.

Hilary swallowed nervously. "What is?" She looked at him innocently and hope to God that she possessed some sort of lady charm to make him drop the subject.

"This wasn't the way you left earlier, or even came back." He stared at her hard. "So where were you and Kai, or, more specifically, what were you up to?" His smirk deepened.

"I don't know what you're talking about," She claimed and walked on with her hands in her jeans pocket.

Ray didn't say anything else but followed her until they came to Hilary's two storey house. She could see that the porch light was still on so her parent's obviously knew she wasn't back yet. She would just have to explain herself. At least she wouldn't have to do so with Ray and a silent sigh of relief escaped her lips.

"Thanks for walking me home." She mumbled and tried to get past the boy's amber eyes which were staring at her in mild amusement.

"You're not getting away that easily," Ray said. "Just tell me where you were tonight."

"I told you I was at my house," She said with conviction.

"Okay," Ray quirked an eyebrow. "Then you won't mind me asking them then, will you?"

He began to make his way up to her front door and was about to ring the bell when Hilary stopped him.

"Okay, okay," She cried in defeat. "We were at my special place."

"You're special place?"

"Yeah. It's this place near the cliffs that I like," She explained, walking up to her front door to join him.

"And what did you do there?" He asked once she was there.

She sighed. "We talked and kissed. But you have to swear not to tell _anybody_." She jabbed a finger into his chest.

"Come on, Hil. You know you can trust me." Ray smiled assuringly.

"I guess I no other choice, do I? Goodnight." She slipped inside her front door and shut it firmly so to create a barrier between herself and Ray. She sat behind it until she heard his footsteps which signalled his retreat. Then, she stood up and decided to face the music and went in search of her parents. "Mom, dad?" She called.

"Hilary, dear," Came a friendly female voice. "We're in the kitchen. Do you want some coffee?"

"No thank you. I'm sorry that I'm late." She grimaced as she prepared to take a backlashing from her parents about time keeping.

"That's all right. At least you let us know." Her father called.

Hilary frowned. She didn't let them know. "What?"

"You're friend, Kai, phoned? Telling us that you'd asked him to phone us since your credit ran out on your own phone?" Her mother walked into the hallway with a dishtowel over her shoulder and her hair slightly askew. "Honestly, sweety, you really should always have money in your phone so you don't have to rely on other people."

"I will in future," she smiled angelically. "I'm away to bed." She faked a yawn. "I'm so tired."

Her mother want back into the kitchen and called over her shoulder, "Goodnight."

Hilary smiled, pleasantly surprised by Kai's thoughtful gesture. She walked upstairs into her bedroom and began to dress for bed. No sooner had she brushed her teeth and climbed into bed than her phone began to vibrate violently on her desk, demanding attention. She groaned in annoyance and clambered over to it and looked at the caller ID. Tyson's house. She pressed the answer button.

"Tyson?" She barked. "What are you doing phoning me at this time?"

The voice on the other end laughed. "That's the second time today you've made that mistake. I'm beginning to get worried."

"Kai? How did you get my number?" She could feel the butterflies in her stomach performing a seasonal dance.

"I just wanted to make sure you got home okay," Kai said, ignoring her question. "Sorry I didn't walk you home myself."

"That's alright." Hilary bit her lip before asking the question that had been on her mind all night. "What's going on between us?"

Kai was silent for a moment, and then replied, "I don't know."

She ran her fingers through her hair in confusion. "But, you kissed me. Why did you kiss me, then?"

"Because I wanted to," Kai simply replied. "I thought that, since you and Tyson seem to have a thing, you might not want people to know."

"Me and Tyson do _not_ have a thing. Besides," She shrugged- why, she didn't know since Kai obviously couldn't see her. "Ray knows. He knew there was something going on anyway."

"I see."

"You're not mad?" Hilary hoped, crossing her fingers.

"I don't care who knows and who doesn't."

"Okay, so what's going on?" She asked again.

"It appears that we are an item."

"Really?" Hilary gushed.

"Really," he repeated. "I have to go before Tyson has a seizure. I'll see you later."

She heard Tyson moaning and almost felt pity for Kai when all he wanted was some peace to have a decent conversation. She stifles a laugh when she imagined Tyson jumping up and down, tugging at Kai's arm to hang up the phone. "Okay, bye."

She ended the call and dove into bed, diving underneath the covers. She placed a hand on her rapid beating heart and squealed softly. She was going out with Kai Hiwatari. Her. Plain and simple Hilary was going out with the world famous pinup, Kai Hiwatari. She'd never felt so happy.

* * *

"I'm seeing Hilary." Kai announced at the lunch table the next day. 

Garnet and Ray smiled knowingly and looked at each other triumphantly. This was no new news to them.

Max snorted his coke down his chin. "Since when?" He blonde spluttered

"Hilary who?" Mariah and Tala asked and exchanged confused looks.

"Hilary Tatibana!" Garnet sing-songed. "Kai's new _luhvur._"

Kai shot her a withering look and she bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. Instead, she inserted a big wad of cheeseburger into her mouth and pretended to be engrossed by her table napkin.

"Why haven't we met this Hilary?" Mariah demanded. "I want to meet her before you have any sort of relationship with her." Kai gave her a questioning look. "So I can give you my approval?" She looked at him as if he should be well aware of that fact.

"Why don't we go on a double date tonight?" Ray suggested.

"Yeah," Maria agreed. "And you two should come too." She waved a finger in Tala and Garnet's direction.

"Oh my God." Garnet slapped her forehead. "I _can't._ I have to go to this stupid dinner party with my parent's, their friends and their kids."

"I guess I won't go either," Tala smiled, trying to hide his disappointment. "Don't want to be the only single guy there."

Mariah cupped her head in her hands. "No way. Can't you cancel?"

Garnet smiled apologetically. "Sorry, but I really can't. This had been planned for months."

"That sucks. So I guess it's just the two couples then?" Mariah sighed. "I suggest a movie."

"I second that motion," said Ray.

"Whatever."

* * *

Hilary tugged at her skirt nervously as she waited for Kai and Mariah to arrive. Was it too short? Would Kai think she was a slut for wearing it on a first date? She looked at Ray who looked great in casual jeans and t-shirt. Why hadn't she gone casual? She mentally kicked herself for wearing such a revealing skirt. At least her cleavage wasn't showing through her pink vest top. 

She saw Kai appeared wearing almost the same outfit as Ray, except his looked marginally more expensive, with a gorguess redhead, although she thought it looked more pink that anything. She assumed that was Mariah. She was stunning in tight jeans and a pink vest top.

"Snappsies!" Mariah said gesturing to the fact they wore identical tops. "Great minds think alike, huh?"

Hilary, in bafflement, looked at Kai and hoped he could shed a light.

He merely shrugged and said, "She can't help it. She's ginger."

Mariah smacked Kai playfully and pouted. "You know, some guys love girls with ginger hair." Ray put his hand around her waist and nodded. "And it's not even ginger. It's more…pink."

Kai rolled his eyes. "Mariah, this is Hilary. Hilary, Mariah."

"Please to meet you," Mariah grinned and held out her hand.

Hilary smiled back and shook it. "Me too."

"Let's go get our tickets now, before the movies starts," Ray led Mariah by the hand and she willingly followed.

Hilary cast another nervous look at Kai and he took her hand and squeezed reassuringly. He led her to the ticket booth and insisted on paying for both himself and Hilary's admittance into the screen. The woman serving them eyed the couples suspiciously before finally recognising that these were in fact beyblading stars. Ray smiled sheepishly as he was asked for an autograph. Mariah was more than happy to where as Kai obliged grudgingly.

"I think that made her day," Mariah sniggered and flashed a great, big smile for all she was worth.

Ray led the way into the screen and chose the middle of the very back row to sit. As soon as Mariah had sat down beside him they started kissing and put their hands round each other's necks. Kai observed them in mild amusement and sat beside his cousin, trying to avoid the sight of them sucking each other's faces off. He looked at Hilary who appeared to be uncomfortable with the whole situation. She played with a silver necklace that hung around her neck and appeared to not even notice the previews which were showing on the huge screen.

He leaned in beside her. "You look great," he whispered.

"Thanks," she whispered back.

He began to kiss her and let his hands wander onto the small of her back. He felt her return his kiss and put her hands around his back too, mirroring his actions. The taste of his mint breath made her want more and Kai was more than willing to let her. When they broke apart, Kai put his arms around her neck and Hilary rested her head on his shoulder. He could smell her sweet perfume and couldn't get enough of it.

It seemed that neither of the couples really paid attention to the movie.

* * *

At about eleven o'clock, Kai entered Tyson's house after walking Hilary home and having a goodbye kiss. He could still taste her in his mouth and on his lips. He sucked them deliciously and smirked. It was a taste he could get used to. 

"How'd it go?" Tyson asked when he saw Kai had come back.

"Fine."

The bluenette waggled his eyebrows. "I'd say from that look in your eye it went more than fine." He yelped and ducked as Kai swiped for him. Any look had instantly vanished. Instead, Kai assumed his usual emotionless stature and walked past the younger boy. "Oh, yeah and Garnet called. She said it was urgent."

Kai looked at Tyson questioningly and picked up the phone in the hall and dialled the girl's number. After a few rings, a chipper sounding Garnet answered.

"Oh. My. God." She said, her voice bursting with excitement. "You'll never guess what happened to me tonight!"

"At the 'stupid dinner party', in your exact words?" He had barely finished his talking when Garnet erupted.

"I got asked out!" She squealed.

Kai took the phone away from his ear to protect his eye drums until she'd finished screaming. "Because that's surprising."

"No, but this guy is H-O-T!"

Kai closed his eyes in frustration. Sometimes Garnet was a little too much. "I am literate, G. I can spell."

"And he's mega rich. Like, I'm talking his father's a multi millionaire."

"So's mine," Kai pointed out. "And don't be so shallow." He sighed. "So who's this 'guy' then?"

"Well, he used to go to that boarding school of your's. His name's Ryan Sanders. He apparently knows you."

Kai groaned. _You have got to be kidding me_.

* * *

Remember that guy? I'll give you a hint: Kai broke his nose:P

Please review.

jellybean-kitty


	9. Family Meal

Has anyone noticed the line bar thingy isn't working!

Disclaimer: I don't won Beyblade

Family Meal 

Garnet covered her ears with her hands in an attempt to keep out her best friend's insistent complaining about her taste in men the next day as he walked her home from school. It wasn't her fault Kai disapproved but she wasn't just going to finish with some one just because he told her too. Eventually she couldn't take it anymore.

"Look, Kai," She snapped. "If this guy's a mistake then he's _my_ mistake to make." Her pretty face was now tarnished with anger. "If you don't like him then that's your problem not mine." Kai went to interrupt but she stopped him. "I understand you guys have a bad history but frankly, I like this guy and if you don't care enough about me to put this behind you then you're not the friend I thought you were."

Kai was about to argue with her but thought against it. The last thing he needed was Garnet to be mad at him. Or madder. Instead he used a different tactic. "What about Tala?"

Garnet took a small intake of breath. "What about him?"

"Don't you care about him?" Kai stared at her, hard. "You've led him on, flirted constantly and then suddenly go and get another boyfriend. That's not very fair on him."

"He seemed fine this morning…"

"Seemed." Kai looked her in the eye. "Don't you understand that you've hurt him really badly? Or do you just not care?"

She turned away from him and Kai could see that he'd struck a nerve. "I _do_ care. But he didn't ask me out, Kai. It's been weeks since this whole thing started and he's not made any move to do so, so you tell me it's not fair on him!" She walked on ahead of him. "I'll walk myself home Kai."

Kai grabbed for her arm but she yanked it away. "Garnet, don't be like that. I'm just trying to look out for you."

Garnet clenched her fists in her hands. "I'm not a stupid little girl, Kai. I don't need my big, bad male friends to be constantly protecting me." She continued to walk on and called over her shoulder. "And by the way, our first date is tonight. I met him yesterday and we're already going on a date. Maybe Tala should be taking notes."

Kai glared at the black haired girl's back before turning back and heading for Tyson's. He was meeting with his parent's for dinner tonight. It seemed they wanted to come over and personally survey his school before letting Matt attend. He was looking forward to it and then again, not. He wasn't sure if they were going to be angry at him still or attempt to forget the whole breaking-a-guy's-nose thing had ever happened. He wasn't sure what one would be worse. Or what one it would be. From what he's seen from T.V and other people they generally had a heated discussion then kissed and made up.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey, Kai," Hilary greeted him as he entered the dojo. "What's up?"

"I have to meet my mom and dad tonight," Kai said, only half lying.

He hardly looked at Hilary as he walked past her and up the stairs. Hilary heard his room door close with a bang. Shrugging it off, she went in out into the yard where Tyson and the gang were practising their launching techniques. She sighed and looked up at Kai's window and stared in awe as she saw Kai pull off his school shirt to reveal a well formed torso and abs.

"Earth to Hilary?" Max asked and nudged her. "What are you staring at?" He screwed up his eyes and looked in the direction her eyes had been so adamantly fixed but saw nothing there. He looked at her and then gestured to her mouth. "Is that drool?"

Hilary felt her face turn the same colour as her eyes. "Nothing. And no." She turned her back so the blonde wouldn't see her wiping her mouth. She heard the phone ring inside the house and thanked the inanimate object for giving her an excuse to leave. She found the phone lying in the kitchen were Tyson had obviously forgotten to put it back on its holder.

"Hello?"

"Hi!" A female voice sang. "This is Kai's friend's house, right? The one he's staying in?"

"Yes-"

"Great! Can you pass on a little message for me?" Hilary wasn't given the chance to object. "Can you tell him that I'll be picking him up outside in about half an hour, so he'd better be ready because I hate to be kept waiting."

"Uh sure. Who is this?"

"Lexine? His sister?"

Hilary gasped. "Aren't you a model?"

She imagined the girl tossing her hair at this point. "Yes." She giggled. "I take it you must be Garnet? Is he still going out with you? I forgot to ask."

"Uh, no. This is Hilary umm Tatibana. And well, he's going out with me."

"He wasted no time, huh. Pass on my message sweety." Hilary heard a kissing noise and Lexine hung up the phone.

She made an instant decision that she never wanted to experience that again. She went up to Kai's room to pass on the message. She rapped on the door and entered as Kai poured some of his cologne onto his neck. He caught sight of her reflection in the mirror and raised an eyebrow to silently ask why she was intruding.

"You look smart," She said and was right. He had put on black trousers and a white open necked shirt with a faint insignia of some designer she's unheard of. "Lexine called and is picking you up in half an hour. She called to tell you."

Kai nodded and turned his attention back to the mirror. He reached into a tub of hair gel and began to craft his hair a more tidy style than he normally wore. He caught sight of Hilary standing in the doorway still and frowned impatiently.

"Anything else?" He said sharply.

Hilary felt flustered at his tone. "Umm..no. I just thought, you know, that…never mind. I'll leave you to it."

"Hn," Kai grunted as Hilary left and shut the door firmly behind her.

She made a face at the closed door since she wasn't brave enough to do so to Kai's face. Just what was his problem anyway? She clenched her fists and stormed down the stairs so violently she made the house almost shake. She journeyed outside and sat on Tyson's wooden stairs with her clenched fists supported her fuming head, muttering to herself.

The weight of the stairs shifted as Ray sat down beside her and looked at her in concern. "What's the matter?"

"Kai's the matter! I mean what is his problem?" She ranted. "He comes home all moody and stuff and then I pass him on a message from his sister and he acts like I've committed first degree murder or something!"

"He probably just has a lot on his mind," Ray comforted. "You know how he is."

Hilary considered this carefully. "Still, he shouldn't take it out on everyone around him."

"I know. Besides, it's Garnet he's got beef with, not you."

Hilary's eyes opened in interest. "You mean best friend Garnet? Tyson's cousin?"

"The one and only. Haven't you heard?" Hilary shook her head. "Well, Garnet and Tala had feelings for each other but they didn't do anything about it. Last night, Garnet was asked out by the same guy that got Kai expelled from his other school. Kai broke his nose, though, so it's all good." He added with a wink. "Anyway, he and Garnet were arguing all day because she's too stubborn to take his advice."

"That doesn't surprise me." Hilary muttered. "So, Kai's had a fall out with Garnet, huh?" she said in a more audible voice. "No wonder he's in such a pissy mood."

"That and he's going to get his face eaten off by his parents. Figuratively, of course," He added hastily.

"Like he's actually care what they say. It all goes in one ear and out the other," Tyson said, joining in the conversation.

"I wouldn't be so sure, Tyson. Just because he acts like he doesn't care doesn't actually mean it's true."

A car horn pamped and a blue Mercedes convertible pulled up outside Tyson's gate. The blonde haired girl inside rapped her nails on the steering wheel impatiently and tipped her sunglasses down her nose to get a better look at the teens in the yard before her.

Tyson's jaw dropped open as he saw Kai's sister for the first time. He could see her thin body in the pink skin tight dress she wore and her arms and torso were a beautiful golden brown. She wore pink diamonds in each ear and a silver necklace around her neck with a heart shaped pendant hanging down. Even in her impatience, a bright smile was on her face as if cameras were still on her.

"It must run in the family," Hilary said in awe as she watched the model run a hand through her perfect hair. "Looks, I mean."

She felt a wind pass her side and saw Kai walk swiftly into her Kai only muttering a solitary 'bye' at them as he passed. He opened the car door and said something to Lexine which caused her to look a little like her smile was being forced. She drove away with Kai looking incredibly irritated at the very thought of being seen with his family.

Max let out a long whistle. "Now, _that's_ what you call a perfect creation. And the girl's not bad either."

"Give me that girl any day," Tyson said, drooling.

Hilary rolled her eyes at the immaturity of the two boys.

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"That was a quick half hour," Kai said to Lexine as he got in the car.

Lexine widened her smile forcefully. "Sorry but I got here earlier that I expected. I mean, you were ready anyway, right?" She sped off as he looked out of the window miserably. Noticing this, Lexine's smile disappeared. "You're gonna weigh down my car with all those troubles you're keeping inside you. You wanna talk about it?"

"No."

"I'm you're sister. Come on, you're supposed to tell me stuff."

Kai stared at her hard. "You're only my sister by blood, Lexine. Nothing else."

She gripped the steering wheel so hard that her knuckles went white. "Look, Kai. Believe it or not, these people that you don't call you're family are breaking their backs trying to find you a place in the world. The least you can do is have the decency to treat us like we are related. Since we actually are." She braked suddenly and Kai lurched forward. "You should be wearing a seat belt."

They both got out the car and Lexine locked it without bothering to pull over the roof. They entered the exclusive restaurant and she led him past the tables to their own. Kai looked at the people eating their dinner, not having a care in the world. There were families, almost like his own except they probably weren't separated when their middle child was young, there were also numerous couples having a romantic meal. Recognising one such partnership, Kai swallowed hard. There, Garnet sat with an arrogant looking Sanders –whose nose seemed to have reset quite well- looking doe eyed. She laughed as he said something that was supposed to be funny. Kai could tell that she was faking it. He walked past their table and their eyes. Garnet looked at him in surprise but glanced away just as their meal was served.

It was all Kai could do to walk past the guy without slamming his face into the plate full of food. Instead he kept walking to the table where his parents and Matt were already sitting. Matt looked just as miserable as he was feeling. Kai offered him a brief smile as he sat down beside him.

"Hello, Kai," Rosanne smiled. "It's so good to see you again."

"How's school?" Alexander asked.

"It's good to see you too," Kai lied. "And school's fine."

"This little man's staring tomorrow, aren't you?" Rosanne said fondly while Matt just grimaced. "He's not looking forward to it." She explained.

"How come?" Kai asked him.

Matt raised his little eyes to Kai's. Kai had never noticed they were crimson too. "I never fit in."

"Sometimes the other kids make fun of him on account of how smart he is," Alexander explained. "But we always tell him to hold his head high and walk on."

"It's kind of hard when they won't let you," He mumbled.

Kai looked at the little boy with his slate two toned hair and crimson eyes. He was like a miniature version of himself. In the abbey, he was sometimes bullied because of his ability too. He suddenly felt a protective bond over Matt.

"That was before you had you're big brother looking out for you," Kai smiled reassuringly at him. "I won't let _anyone_ pick on you."

Matt eyed him suspiciously. "Why would you do that?"

"I don't know," Kai answered honestly. "But I will. Just call on me and I'll make it stop, okay?"

"That reminds me!" Rosanne reached into her purse and pulled out a familiar looking piece of machinery. "I thought you might want this back. We've switched you're contract so you don't need to worry about funding it anymore."

"Thanks," Kai said, surprised but pleased.

"No problem," She grinned. "What are parents for if not to spoil their children?"

"Totally one hundred percent agreeing with you there, mom," Lexine replied.

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Please review.

jellybean-kitty


	10. Doctor Leonard

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

Doctor Leonard 

Matt watched with wide eyes the activity going on in the school all around him. He had to almost run to keep up with his big brother's stride who he was now watching in admiration as many different people shouted or waved their greetings at the older boy and then looked at him, wondering just what this boy was doing with Kai.

Kai stopped altogether as Tala walked up to him and nodded at Matt. Mariah and Garnet were not far behind him.

"Oh my gosh!" Mariah squealed. She crouched down to Matt's height and smiled widely. "I can't believe I'm only _just_ meeting you now!" She glanced at Kai. "He's like a mini you. He's even got the eye colour." She ruffled his hair fondly. "You're lucky to look like your big bro."

"He's not a dog, 'Riah." Tala said and she instantly stopped and apologised.

"This is Mariah, your cousin. There's Tala and…Garnet."

Garnet's usual bright face was a shade darker as if she had just received some inconvenient bad news. Rather than smiling, as she would normally do, she merely nodded and turned her attention to the fascinating first years who had just walked past.

"Something wrong?" Kai asked her.

She shook her head slightly, indicating that yes there was something the matter with her but, no, she would not be sharing it anytime soon. Kai frowned at her but shrugged all the same, as if it didn't make any difference to him. She was probably still in a mood with him and was too proud to admit it. He really didn't have time for her pettiness. Instead, he gave his attention to his little brother who was now fidgeting constantly with his uniform.

"Matt, I think you should go introduce yourself to some of the kids in your year, huh?" He suggested, giving him a little push in their general direction.

"But what if they don't like me?" Matt wailed. "Can't I hang around with you?"

Kai sighed deeply but instead, Mariah took over. "How can anyone not like you, especially when you're a Hiwatari!"

"I'm a Taggerty." He stated.

"Oh." Mariah turned to Tala for help.

Fortunately, they were all saved by the bell and Matt had no choice but to go to his first class. The four teens walked to theirs, with two of them in a strange and thoughtful silence. Tala and Mariah looked at each other.

"Thanks, Garnet," Mariah said and the black haired girl gave her a questioning look. "It seems you're foul mood is contagious." Garnet tutted and walked on ahead of them all. "So Kai, you gonna tell me what's wrong with you or are you, in an Oh-so-Garnet fashion gonna go into a hissy fit?"

Garnet turned round and glared at her pin haired friend but said nothing.

"He shouldn't be here," Kai said simply, referring to Matt. "They're stupid to have thought it was a good idea. He's going to get eaten alive."

"Not if they know his connections," Tala reasoned.

Kai contemplated this as they all trudged into their homeroom and waited for the first bell to ring. Mariah swung round on her chair so she was facing the two boys and initiate conversation with them. Garnet, on the other hand, busied herself in her homework diary.

Mariah stuck her tongue out at the moody girl's back. "What _is _her problem?" She whispered to the boys.

Tala shrugged and changed the subject. "Are you still going with that girl?" He asked Kai.

"Hilary." Kai stated. "And apparently so."

"Just for you're information, she's pissed off at you." Mariah studied her nails as if she hadn't said anything out of the ordinary.

Kai quirked an eyebrow at the pink haired girl. "Why?"

"I don't know. It was Ray who told me that you were giving her the cold shoulder yesterday."

Tala snorted. "Surprise, surprise. That'll be another one gone."

Kai kicked the red head under the table. "I was wondering why she didn't text me back last night." He said with some thoughtfulness.

"Uh, what died and made you retarded?" Her amber eyes were wide with disbelief. Kai's questioning glance caused her to sigh. "How on earth would she know it was you?

Tala burst out laughing when he noticed Kai mentally kicking himself. "Since when do you do stupid shit like that?" Mariah, seeing Kai's worried expression, eyed him to stop. "I wouldn't worry about it anyway." His face had regained its usual seriousness. "So when am I going to meet this Hilary?"

"Friday. Come over to Tyson's." The red head agreed. "Mariah, Garnet? You guys coming too?"

Mariah smiled. "Ray's gonna be there!"

"Garnet?" Kai prompted.

"I-I can't. I've…other plans."

"With _him?_"

"Yes, Kai. With him."

The bell rang once again and the four began their troop out of the classroom but Kai felt a hand on his arm form their homeroom teacher she pulled him to the side.

"The psychologist wants to see you now," She whispered so no one else would hear here. She obviously sensed it was a sensitive issue. She handed him a permission sheet. "Give this to your next teacher when you're done."

The slate haired teenager let out a long and tired sigh. This would be fun, he could bet.

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The school councillor was a professional looking man who looked as though he may have fit in better as a college tutor. He wore a tweed jacket and black straight leg trousers. He had a mass of thick brown hair on top of his head and his brown eyes seemed to shine with an undeniable wisdom that perhaps only he knew he possessed.

Kai regarded him with a vague interest but he really couldn't have cared less about this man. He probably already knew what he was going to say about him so why should he bother trying to prove otherwise?

The councillor, rather than staring down his nose, greeted Kai with a friendly smile and offered him a seat. Not returning the friendliness, Kai took up on his offer and sat down with his arms folded and sat right back.

"Hello, Kai my name is Doctor Leonard." He extended a hand which Kai studied intently before finally shaking it with his own. "I hear there have been some problems concerning you that apparently you need psychoanalysed, am I right?"

"That's a matter of opinion, _doctor_," Kai replied bluntly.

"Is that so?" He said with humour. "I'll tell you something, I have dealt with many kids in your position and I've always came to the same conclusion." Kai smirked and held his steady gaze. "I think they're misunderstood. I think that they've had problems in the past which are unknown to people in 'authority'." He didn't let his brown eyes leave Kai's for a moment. He searched any sign for a flicker or falter to prove his theory right. "I also think, Kai, that these problems are even affecting you now. Although you may not realise it, the position you've found yourself in today is a direct consequence of how you dealt with it." There it was. Kai's gaze broke away momentarily. "Tell me, am I being ridiculous or is there actually some truth?"

Still smirking, Kai looked him up and down before again returning to his eyes. "You're the professional here."

He chuckled lightly. "Yes, indeed. Well I think I'm right, Kai. I also think that the way you act around me, or perhaps you're so called superiors is far different from the way you are around you're friends." Kai made no indication that he was correct and so, Leonard sighed. "Kai, will you please help me out here? You have to believe that I'm on your side."

"How many times have I hear that one," Kai muttered.

The adult shook his head slightly. "What's made you so jaded that you won't allow yourself to trust?"

"A lot of things."

"Like what?"

"That's not any of your business." Kai sneered.

"It really is." He decided to try another angle. "How about I ask a few yes no questions about you? If the answer is yes and I'm right, then you'll answer one of mine. If it's not then you get to take a step closer to the door and you can leave." He saw Kai judge the distance from where he stood to the door. "It's about four steps for some one with your stride." He added helpfully.

Kai eyed him suspiciously. "….alright."

"Are any of your problems related to your family?"

"…yes."

He smiled. "Would you consider yourself closer to you're friends or your family?"

"Friends."

He made a note. "Is the problem with your family to do with the people you hang around with?"

Kai took a step back.

"Do you take drugs, smoke or steal and that has caused some uproar?"

He took another step back.

"Is it perhaps not you're family on the whole, but a family member?" Kai nodded. "Okay…do you take drugs, smoke, drink alcohol or steal on a regular basis and how often?"

"I occasionally drink and I've tried smoking but I wouldn't call either of them on a regular basis. Perhaps I'll have some alcohol once every two weeks and when I drink, I generally have a smoke."

"Like any regular teen, huh?" He made more notes. "Is this person some one you are particularly close to and share a house with?"

Another step backwards.

Leonard flinched. "Did…did this person…abuse you in some way?"

Kai's crimson eyes took a fearful edge and he took another step backwards so his back was against the door and his hand on the knob. "I can't answer anymore questions."

The doctor smiled sadly. "I understand. I will see you next week."

The teen twisted the handle hard and walked out the room as fast as he could, letting the door close behind him. Leonard watched him go with some interest but also with the feeling at the pit of his stomach whenever any of his cases had an experience like Kai's. There were the people who needed the most help, wither they realised it or not.

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They waited, Kai, Tala and Mariah, for what seemed like forever for Garnet and also Matt who was being escorted back to his hotel by Kai. For some reason unknown to them, Kai hadn't wanted to discuss his time with the councillor and so Mariah and Tala had decided to let it lye, for now.

"There's Garnet," Tala said and nodded at her direction.

"Sorry guys," Garner said as she walked past. "I'm getting a ride home off my dad." Kai's hand grasped for her wrist and she turned to face him. "Let go!"

"I want you to know that whenever you feel like talking about it, I'll be there to here it." He let his soft but tight grip loosen and Garnet looked at him but rather than say anything, she walked off.

"There's something wrong." Mariah frowned. "But I guess she'll come to us in time…"

The two boys nodded silently. Suddenly a little Kai-esque blur ran into them, bumping into Kai who had to put both hands on his shoulders to stop his little bother from running off. Matt looked up at his elder brother, his eyes tear stricken.

"What happened?" Kai asked. His voice had an unnatural concern he wasn't used to.

"I hate it here!" Matt shouted and tried to push past him again but Kai kept his vice like hold firm and knelt down to his height. "You said you'd be there for me!"

"Matt…" Kai's voice trailed off.

"I'm never going back." He buried his head into his brother's chest.

Kai looked up at Mariah and Tala for help. Mariah made a hugging gesture and so Kai put his arms around Matt's back.

"I think we should go…" Tala said. "See you later Kai."

"Bye," Mariah waved.

Kai stood up and walked out of the school grounds, motioning for Matt to follow. To his little legs, it seemed almost impossible to match his big brother's pace. He heard Kai take a deep breath.

"Tell me what happened."

"They all made fun of me. They called me names and stuff."

"Who's they?"

"The boys. Or some of them, at least."

Kai snorted. "And you're just going to let them win and never go back? You're going to give up that easily?" He sneered. "If _I_ gave up as easily as that whenever I was put down I'd be nowhere right now. I wouldn't even still be a blader."

"But I'm as strong as you are!" Matt protested.

"Oh no?" Kai looked at him with a tenderness only found in siblings. "You and me? We're brothers. That means that we're alike. Anything I can do, you can do too and probably better."

"Really?"

Kai nodded.

"Actually, scientifically survey, that is a complete load of crap." Matt smiled. "But I guess you get points for trying. I'll try again tomorrow. For you."

Kai smiled down at his junior. _That's the spirit._

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_Please review!_

jellybean-kitty_  
_


	11. Safe With You

Thanks to all my reviewers!

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

Safe With You

The doorbell chimed loudly, indicating some one was wanting in. Ray, Max, Kenny, Hilary and Kai all looked at Tyson expectantly to go and answer it.

"Kai," He whined. "They're _your_ friends."

"It's your house."

"But Tala's kinda scary."

Kai quirked an eyebrow at the bluenett's childishness. "He is not scary at all." Before Tyson had a chance to reply to this, he swiftly left his living room and disappeared into the hall.

They heard the door open and a female voice sang out a cheerful hello while a more masculine one uttered a curt greeting. There was silence for a few minutes while one male said something to the others and then there was a burst of cheerful laughter. The teens in the living room looked at each other in surprise. Hilary especially, was surprised to hear this kind of hilarity coming from Kai. She'd not yet experienced it, or expected to.

When Kai entered the room once again, his whole persona had seemed to relax. He was joined by Mariah and an unfamiliar red haired boy.

"This is Tala," Kai introduced him. "That's Kenny, Tyson and Hilary."

Tala nodded to each of them in turn but let his piercing ice blue eyes sweep over Hilary. They hadn't seemed judgemental but when he met her ruby one's he smirked a little bit before whispering something to Kai who smirked too. Tala leaned against the wall whilst Kai crossed the room and sat back down next to Hilary.

"What did he say to you?" Hilary whispered to him, trying to hide the annoyance in her voice.

"Nothing. Why?" He whispered back

"It's rude to whisper."

"So what are we doing right now?"

Hilary clenched her teeth to stop her from saying something she would regret. Instead she folded her arms so Kai would take the hint that she was seriously irked by his behaviour. He, however, just seemed amused.

"You're cute when you're angry," He teased.

Hilary stuck out her tongue and pretended to be deeply interested in Tyson's endless babbling as he tried to find a subject that would interest Tala. The latter just looked bored at his persistence. He merely nodded so as not to be rude, although Hilary thought it was a little late for that. Eventually Tyson gave up trying to hold a conversation and decided they should all put on a movie of some sort.

"Something scary!" Max suggested.

"Noooo!" Mariah wailed. "I don't wanna watch a horror film."

"You can hold on to me during it," Ray offered.

Mariah smiled. "I'm fine with scary!"

Tyson switched on his T.V and flicked onto the guide. "On the movie channels…we have…Amityville Horror or there's Scream. The Ring starts five minutes after those two…and I think that's it for horror tonight." He looked at them all. "Any preferences?"

"Amityville Horror." Mariah confirmed. "I've seen the other two."

The bluenette flicked the channels and they all settled down to wait for it to start.

"I'm not really in the mood for a movie, Hil," Kai said to her.

"And?"

"And so do you want to go up to my room and…talk?" He took her hand and looked into her eyes suggesting that talking wasn't the only thing on his mind.

Her took her hand away and placed it meekly on her lap. "I kinda want to watch this movie." Casting her a strange look, he slumped against the couch and crossed his arms. She giggled. "You know, you're cute when you're angry." When he didn't reply she giggled again. "I think talking's a good idea. We have things to talk about."

He raised an eyebrow at her serious tone but nodded in agreement nonetheless. He led her to the door.

"Where are you two going?" Tala asked with a glint in his eyes.

"Up to my room." He met his eyes with a blank face, giving nothing away.

The red head smirked and patted his empty pockets. "Too bad Kai, I don't have my wallet on me."

Kai glared at him evilly and left the room with Hilary following. Once inside, he shut the door firmly and sat on his bed. Hilary joined him momentarily.

He stared at her. "You have something to say." It was more a statement than a question.

"Yeah, I do." Hilary turned and met his eyes. "I thought you should know that I'm a little hurt about Wednesday."

"That was two days ago."

"That doesn't make any difference," She protested. "There was no reason for you to talk to me _or_ treat me like that."

"Sorry." He muttered.

She sighed deeply. "Do you even know what you're apologising for?"

"No," He admitted.

She closed her eyes, trying to blot out the frustration. "Then there's no use in saying sorry if you don't mean it."

"But I do. If I said something or done something to hurt you then I am sorry." He leaned across her so she was pushed down onto the bed. "Why don't we kiss and make up?" His voice had turned suddenly husky.

He pressed his lips firmly on hers and ran his hands through her hair, letting the silky chocolate brown strands rub through his fingers. Hilary, though, wasn't in the mood for his games. She turned her head away so his lips and hers had parted. Unphased, Kai moved onto her ear.

"Kai," Hilary said, trying to hide the fact that she was now enjoying his playfulness. "Don't you want to know so you won't do it again?"

"I don't need to know," He whispered into her ear. "I just won't do anything to hurt you again." He nibbled it softly.

"Stop it, Kai," She pushed him off her and sat back up. "I'm trying to have a serious talk here and you won't even take the time to listen." He frowned and propped himself up against the wall. "Please, it's important to me."

"What else do you have to say?" Kai demanded. "I apologised for what I done and promised to never do it again."

"I know you did but there're more things that have hacked me off. Like Tala, for instance. He obviously said something about me and you won't tell me." Kai chuckled at her paranoia. "And now you're laughing!"

"Hilary, relax," Kai replied, putting his arms around her shoulders. "What he said was 'Damn Kai, she is fucking sexy'." Hilary opened her mouth to object but Kai got there first. "You are, you know." He turned her head so she was looking into the mirror across from them. "Look at yourself and tell me what you see."

She studied the image. She had on a short, but not too short, denim skirt and an average blue t-shirt. It wasn't anything special to her. Kai, however, who was sitting behind her with his arms wrapped around her neck securely, was the image of perfection in his dark blue jeans and some designer top. Sitting in that position, she thought she looked out of place with Kai. He was handsome and muscular. She was plain and skinny. Even her eyes, which were almost the same colour, weren't as striking as Kai's. Her ruby ones met Kai's crimson in the reflection.

"I just see me. With you. Out of place and out of my league."

Kai smiled softly. "Well, I see a beautiful girl who obviously doesn't know what she has going for her." Hilary smiled shyly. "See. That smile, for example. I'll bet there're hundreds of guys who want to know what that smile tastes like." He turned her face round and kissed her before pushing her back onto the bed. He ran his fingers through her hair again. "Your hair always looks perfect…" He moved his hands down onto her stomach. "Girls would kill to have your stomach," Her legs were his next destination as his hands felt them. It was all Hilary could do not to moan. "And you're legs. I bet guys look at your legs all day."

"I suppose, when you put it like that…" She found his lips once again and let his tongue enter her mouth, mimicking his actions with her own. Eventually, she broke away again. "What's you're favourite part?"

Kai smirked and places his hands over her breasts. "I am a guy." She faked an appalled look and pretended to pout. Kai laughed softly. "What I really love…" He raised his eyes to hers, "…are your eyes. The way they sparkle when you're happy and the way they glare when you're mad."

There was a crash of thunder outside and Kai, momentarily distracted, looked out of his window at the pounding and sudden rain. It bounced and crashed against the window, causing an unholy racket. It was certainly coming down heavily. He watched it, mesmerised by the way it seemed to organised in it's falling pattern. Gentle arms wrapped themselves around his waist and he turned his attention back to Hilary's seductive form. He once met her lips but it wasn't too long before he began to move on and found a spot on her neck to concentrate on. Hilary bit her lip as he sucked on the skin, leaving marks.

"Kai…" She moaned softly. "Before I forget, what did Tala mean by he didn't have his wallet?"

"Guys," Kai explained through nibbles, "are rumoured to keep condoms in their wallets. Basically, he's implying that we'll be having sex."

"Oh," was all she said.

His lips moved down her neckline and onto her chest. "Of course, I know you're not that kind of girl." He stopped and looked at her. "And I also know that you're not ready yet, no matter how much you might want to pretend." He smiled softly again. She loved that smile. "But I'll wait for you until you are."

"Kai, I know you'll think I'm some stupid little school girl for saying this but…" Their eyes met once again. "I think I love you." She laughed softly at her own silliness. "I know we've practically just met and all but still…"

"Do you know what?" He looked at her with an almost innocent sincerity emitting from his crimson eyes. "I think I love you too."

Somewhere downstairs, the doorbell rang. Kai and Hilary looked at each other and frowned. Grandpa wasn't supposed to be back for another few hours yet. A few seconds later it rang again, only more insistently. The couple went downstairs, figuring Tyson was too scared of the film to answer it and opened to door before the anonymous ringer rung a fifth time. What they saw at the door was far from what they expected.

"Garnet?" Kai asked, staring at her pitiful from. Her make up was running everywhere and the top she was wearing was slightly askew as if some one had been pulling on it. Her normal picture-perfect hair was now hanging limp and wet around her face. She looked absolutely drenched. "Holy shit, get in! What happened?"

"Kai…" She sobbed and through herself into his arms. He brought them round her protectively while she cried into his shoulder. "I'm so, so sorry. I should have listened to you."

Her fingers clung onto his back for dear life and even though her long and sharp nails were digging into his skin, he let her hold on to him. Signalling for Hilary to warn the others, he led the sodden girl into the living room. When Max, Tyson and Kenny realised what was happening, they cleared a space for her so she could sit down. Kai led her over the couch and they sat down beside each other, joined in an instant by Tala and Mariah, who began to rub her friend's back soothingly.

"What happened, Garnet?" Kai asked again, his voice was full of concern.

Garnet sniffed. "It was Ryan." Kai immediately clenched his fists at the sound of his name. "It's all my fault really," She burst into another fit of tears. "When he asked me up to his house, he made a hint of what he had planned for us. I should have said no from the start, but I-I didn't want you to prove me wrong, Kai. I let my fucking stupid pride get in the way." Mariah swept her fingers under the girl's eyes to catch the ever falling tears. "But I told him tonight. That I wasn't ready and…he got…mad. He said I was a stupid fucking slag who'd led him on. I apologised and tried to leave, but he wouldn't take no for an answer." Her eyes closed firmly as if remembering the very incident was painful. "So he…forced me onto the bed and all the while I was screaming for him to stop, but there was no one to help me."

"Garnet…" Mariah whispered.

She carried on as if she hadn't heard. Her words were becoming more hysterical by the minute. "He started to put his hands up my skirt and up my top. I-I-I tried to stop him, scratching at him and stuff, but he just took my hands and held them above my head so I couldn't anymore. He kept saying that it would all be over soon and that it was my own fault. Then he began pulling at my top and skirt, trying to take them off. I began screaming at the top of my lungs and he just laughed. He fucking laughed. He said there was no one around to hear me scream." Tala took her hands in his and looked into her now wide eyes. She looked like a deer trapped in head lights. "But-but I got away. Before he had taken off my clothes, I kicked him in the man parts and while he was rolling around on the floor I ran. I ran out of his house and to the place were I knew I'd be safe. So I remembered that you guys were all here so that's were I headed." She sighed deeply. "And Kai, don't tell me I told you so because I really can't deal with that right now. Kai?" She looked at her friend who was now breathing heavily.

"Where does he live?" He asked through clenched teeth.

"Wh-why?"

"Because I'm going to go over and fucking kill him." He replied as calmly as he could.

"I'll join you." Tala replied, his eyes burning with hatred,

"You can't!" Garnet protested. "You can't do anything. Kai, if you step one more toe out of line, you'll be booted back to Russia. And I need you here with me so you can't fucking do anything. I need you here. And Tala, don't say you can go because you don't know how powerful this guy is. His father could pay for anything. And that includes the law."

Tala shook his head. "I don't care. He can't get away with this."

"Well, I think I've made him infertile for a few years anyway," Garnet said at a weak attempt at humour. "Anyway, I just want to forget about it. I want to forget it ever happened. It's better that way."

"But-"

"But nothing Tala!" She squeezed his hands tightly. "It's fine now. I'm safe now. I'm with you and Kai and Mariah. I'm safe."

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Pleae review!

jellybean-kitty


	12. Second Chances

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade  


Second Chances 

Even though Friday had been three days ago, Kai still felt the anger rise every time he saw Garnet. His fists unwillingly clenched as he saw through her fake smiles and laughter. It killed him. She hadn't wanted to talk about it much after Friday night. He, Tala and Mariah had crammed into his room at Tyson's and listened to her story but since then, she hadn't mentioned it at all. Like it had never happened. Once or twice, one of them had asked her if she was alright and she'd gave them a look which said 'why wouldn't I be'. That killed him too. The fakeness. The pretence. The secrecy. As far as he, or anyone, knew, only the people who'd been in that room on Friday night had been told about _him_.

A hand grabbed his wrist tightly and fierce blue eyes pierced into his. "Snap out of it, Kai," Tala hissed at him and gestured towards the girl in front of them who was sitting beside Ray. "You'll worry her more if she knows you're worrying."

He yanked his hand away and propped his head up with it, turning away from his partner who he was sharing a chemistry desk with. He could still feel the red head's eyes bore into his back accusingly but he eventually heard him sigh and concentrate on their teacher's comments about their finals that year. It was all they had been getting from every subject and it bored him endlessly. He couldn't comprehend why they bothered talking about their results when the pupils hadn't been given them yet. As far as he understood, they were all still in the mail, as, for some tradition or another, their private school found it more official for such things to be sent to the parents first, before the students. Where his would go since he'd sat the exams in another school was beyond him. He wondered is his parents had had the sense to contact the school about such a trivial matter.

"They should just tell us how we did and get it over with," Tala muttered to Kai.

"Hn." Kai replied.

The other teen smirked at him. "Yeah, I'm sure you don't care. Now that Voltaire's out of the picture, who's actually caring how well you do?" Kai said nothing but smirked back, knowing he was right. "Speaking of which, what's happening with him lately? Have you heard anything?"

"He's probably still in my old house. Last I heard him and Boris have been laying low after the whole Biovault scandal surfaced." Tala noticed how his voice had turned bitter. "I bet he doesn't even care I'm gone."

"He probably doesn't, in all honesty. But what do you care? You both mutually hate each other."

Garnet turned round, followed by Ray, and giggled. "You can always trust Tala to come through with his sensitivity."

She stuck her tongue out just as the bell started to ring, dismissing them for the day. They all gathered their books into their bags and left the classroom and tried to avoid the pushing and shoving of the students as they tried to escape their confinement first. They all groaned outwardly as they seemed to stand stock still while they waited for everyone in front of them to get going.

"This is hopeless," complained Ray. "Why don't we go out the back entrance? At least it'll be easier to get out of than here."

They all agreed and headed back the way they came and down several more corridors until, to their annoyance, they reached another crowd who'd all gathered beside the locker area outside of their classroom.

"That was a waste of time and effort," Tala commented, glaring at the younger classmen. "It seems they had the same idea."

Garnet grabbed his arm excitedly. "No! They're gathering round some one! It's a fight!"

They all looked at each other in surprise. A fight in their school was a rare occurrence, especially actually inside the building. The group of friends gathered around the back and tried to see over the kids in front of them.

"Do you know who it is?" Asked Garnet as she stood on her tiptoes.

The boys all shook their heads. They hadn't even been able to see the faces of the fighters, let alone recognise them. The other people there started to chant 'fight' as it obviously began. There was the sound of some blonde haired boy taunting another boy and the sound of a punch being thrown and successfully hitting its target.

"Come on, Seth!" A girl somewhere cried. "Leave him be."

The boy, called Seth apparently, glared at his victim. "This little prick just showed me up in front of the entire class." He took hold of the other boy's slate coloured hair. "What do you have to say now, smart ass."

Tala, who was able to peer over their heads, looked at Kai nervously. "Shit, Kai. That's-"

But Kai had already seen him first and pushed furiously through the crowd, grabbed the blonde boy by his collar and shoving him up against the lockers. Hard. The boy looked fearfully into his burning crimson eyes, silently begging him not to hurt him. Kai's fist was raised up to the boy's head, ready to strike but he didn't. He raised the boy up to his height so his feet were dangling above the floor.

"If you _ever_ hurt my little brother again," He spat, "I'll kick the shit out of you."

"I'm sorry," He squeaked. "I didn't realise it was _your_ brother.

Kai grunted and threw him onto the ground where he immediately crawled past the crowd and ran away. He turned to Matt who already had a bruise along his cheek bone were he'd been hit. "You okay?"

His younger version glared at him. "Do I _look_ okay?"

Kai put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, I'm just asking. Come on, let's go."

Matt shrugged her hand away. "I can walk myself home."

What was left of the now thinning crowd began to head in different directions, seeing as the action was over. Only Garnet, Tala, Ray and the two brothers remained. Except one had began to walk away.

"And what are you going to do if that kid goes after you again?" Kai called after him. "Let's face it, you're much weaker than he is."

His little hands clenched into tight fists and pushed down into his sides. Angrily he turned around and faced Kai. "I'm not weak!"

"I didn't say you were." Kai calmly said. "I said you were weak_er_."

"That's the same thing!" Matt's face was now burning with fury as he glared at Kai. "And what does that matter? You're strong enough for both of us, right?" His young voice was mocking.

"I'm not sure I like you're tone, Matt." He tried to keep his face placid but his annoyance was coming through. "I just butted in there to save your ass and risked getting kicked out of school. Again. The least you could do is show some appreciation. Especially since you'd have had the shit knocked out of you if I hadn't been there." Matt began to roll his eyes. "Don't roll your eyes at _me,_ Matt. If you'd be just a little less of a pushover this wouldn't have happened."

Matt's eyes bulged open. "I'm a pushover? They're older than me, Kai. How can I defend myself against people older than me?"

"I can."

"In case you haven't clicked, Kai. I'm not you. Sure, you may have the brawn, but at least I have the brains enough to see logic in this."

The other three teenagers looked at each other nervously an uncomfortably. This could only end in tears. Matt was already close to them.

Kai smirked and tilted his head arrogantly. "I'd rather be stupid and be able to stick up for myself. What good are brains if you have to have take people's crap for having them?" He shook his head as if scolding himself. "What do you know anyway, you're just a kid."

Matt was seriously worked up now. "Yeah, well you're stupid. So stupid that mom and dad says they've failed you and that you'll never amount to anything. So you can take your tough guy attitude and shove it as far up you're arrogant ass as you can."

He sprinted down the corridor as fast as he could and so he could avoid the shattered look on Kai's face.

Ray bit his lip and placed a hand on Kai's shoulder. "I'm sure none of its true."

Kai smirked and regained his composure. "Yeah. Stupid kid."

He and Ray began to walk on but Tala and Garnet exchanged worried yet knowing glances before following on.

Making sure there was no way Kai could hear her, Garnet murmured to Tala, "Should we tell him that Taylor saw everything?"

Tala shook his head. "Why worry him further?"

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Matt ran as hard and fast as he could. He kept running into people but still didn't stop to apologise. Instead he kept on going until he couldn't go any further. He fell onto the grass he'd been running on and furiously wiped the tears away from his eyes. Angry with himself for acting so childish, he let out a suppressed scream. It was Kai's fault. Then he scolded himself. It wasn't Kai's fault and he knew it. Kai was right, if he could only find some way to become stronger, like him, his problems would be over.

Mostly.

Unfortunately, there was now a new contender as a wave of guilt swept over him, strong enough to knock him off his feet had he not already been sitting. He'd never though he'd see Kai look so deflated, so hurt, so _hopeless_. And all because he'd made up some stupid lie. He should have known better. Kai doesn't know what goes on in their house, or hotel room, as that was were they were living just now. How would he know that it wasn't true?

He pounded the cool, green grass with his fist. It was the complete opposite. They always praised his greatness.

'_Maybe you'll be more like you're brother when you're older.' _

Sure, they didn't expect miracles from Kai. They knew that the brains of the family did belong to Matt, but that didn't mean Kai necessarily didn't have any at all. In fact, he knew that Kai was very intelligent. At least he could be if he'd put the effort in. More to the point, so did they.

A deep sigh came out from his lips and he flopped down onto the grass, spread eagled. Yes, he was very clever. He'd ran away from the only person who knew how to get to his hotel. He sniggered at his own stupidity. No wonder Kai didn't think of him as anything more than a kid. A kid was certainly something he acted like.

A shadow fell over him and cut off his sunshine. Matt got up and looked at the man who was responsible for the sudden darkness. Immediately, his eyes widened in alarm. He tried to run away but the man grabbed hold of his arm firmly yet surprisingly gently.

"Hold on there, Matthew." Voltaire said. "I saw you in the park and I just wanted to talk." His voice was sincere.

Still, Matt was suspicious. "What about?"

The old man was silent for a second. "…How's Kai doing?"

Yanking away his arm he replied coldly. "He's doing just fine without you."

He smiled sadly, causing his wrinkles to crease further. "I'm glad to hear that. I…want him to be happy."

Frowning in confusion, Matt looked him straight in the eyes. "I thought you hated him. What's with the sudden change of heart?"

Voltaire chuckled. "Can't an old man realise his mistakes?" He turned nostalgic. "It's a shame, really. To think, I could have made him so much stronger if I'd just realised how badly I was treating him."

"You could have made him even stronger?"

"Yes. I had a beyblade with a bitbeast so powerful it was undefeatable. But, I made Kai corrupt when using it and so, it controlled him."

Matt blinked several times. "Do you still have this blade?"

Nodding slowly, he placed an old and withered hand behind Matt's back. "I do. I'm waiting until I can find a new wielder of the blade. Some one who could be even greater than Kai." He kneeled down to the boy's height. "Some one like you."

"Me?"

Voltaire stood back up and began to walk away with Matt walking next to him, now looking up eagerly at him. If there was a chance were he could prove he wasn't the weakling everyone thought he was, he would surely take it.

"Yes, you." He stopped. "I could make you strong, Matthew, so strong. But I'll need your full commitment. I shall have my expert trainer, Boris Balkov, work with you." He paused. "And I'll also need you to keep it a secret from your family, and especially Kai."

The suspicion came back full throttle. "Why?"

"Kai and I didn't exactly part on good terms. It's the same with your father. But I'm an old man and I have no successor. This is my last chance to make things right, Matthew." A black car pulled up beside them and he got in before holding a hand out to the young boy before him. "What do you say Matthew? Will you give me that chance? Do you want to become so much stronger than you are?"

Despite the odd feeling in his stomach telling him no, Matt accepted his hand and climbed into the car. For all he knew, he was being truthful. It made perfect sense that he'd be so remorseful. His life was almost over and his estate had no heir. Perhaps he just wanted another chance? Everyone deserves one. Heck, even Kai had had many in his short life, so why shouldn't Voltaire?

It was only fair.

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Please review!

jellybean-kitty xx


	13. Silences

I'm sorry for this chapter but I'm kinda having a writer's block with this story! I know what i want to happen but it's just getting there that's hard. Anyway, I hope you guys like this.

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

Silences

"Open them up or I'll do it!" Garnet threatened as she glared at Kai impatiently.

In his hands he held the envelope containing his exam results from that year which had been kindly given to him by his shrink, Doctor Leonard in their meeting that Thursday. Normally, such documents were sent to the parents first but the school had been unsure about where Kai's parents were and also who to send them too. Lucky him.

In a split second it was snatched out of his hands and Garnet tucked her finger under the seal and cocked an eyebrow at him. "I did warn you."

"Give them back," He said, glaring at her.

"Why? You don't seem to be opening them anytime soon. And it's not fair that you know ours and we don't know yours!" She put her hands on her hips to emphasise her point.

"Garnet," Tala warned. "Don't be a bitch."

"I am not a bitch, Tala." She flicked her hair haughtily.

"I know," Mariah agreed with her friend. "She's _the_ bitch."

Garnet pouted in outrage as her friends laughed at the joke. "Just remember that it's this bitch's house you're all in." She threw the envelope back at Kai. "We'll be here for ages now."

Kai smirked. "No we won't. I'm meeting Hilary tonight."

Without warning, he opened up the envelope and read the sheet of paper inside it quickly. His friends looked on in baited breath until he finished. His eyebrows had raised a fraction but wither or not this was good or bad they didn't know. Finally he lowered the paper to reveal a huge smirk.

"What did you get?" Mariah asked.

"Read it and see."

Garnet didn't need to be told twice and grabbed it out of his hands and studied it.

"What did he get?" Mariah wailed. "I can't take this."

"He got all A's," Garnet said and smiled.

"Just like us." Tala stated.

"Yeah…but these percentages are amazing," She said. "A ninety-eight in administration, ninety_-nine_ in math, _a hundred_ in English." Her eyes stared up at him in disbelief. "You're mom and dad are going to go crazy with these!"

"Damn straight," Kai replied.

Mariah jumped on top of him from the opposite couch and pulled him into a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Good going man," Tala muttered and patted him on the back.

Kai nodded thanks at them all and took his results back from Garnet and folded them neatly into the envelope. It's funny how he should be so proud of himself yet he still felt the same emptiness inside as he had when he was sitting the exams. Sure, he felt relieved that he hadn't messed them up royally but he didn't feel any different than he did this morning. It was strange.

"I hate it when you do that," Mariah said, frowning at Kai who cocked a quizzical eyebrow. "It's not just you, Tala does it as well. You go off into your own little worlds and you never tell us what you're thinking about."

"It doesn't matter."

"Sure it does," Mariah argued. "If you keep all this stuff kept up inside you it's gonna explode one day!"

Garnet nodded her agreement. "And don't expect _me_ to pick up the mess 'cause entrails and manicures don't mix." Tala and Kai exchanged glances. "Well they don't." She added and looked at her nails.

A heavy silence fell over the room and caused an uncomfortable air to be released through the four teens. Tala, feeling obliged to end it, tried to think of something to say back. Anything to say back.

"…It's private." He said eventually.

"An abbey thing?" Mariah asked the seemingly innocent question.

If possible, the air got heavier and the awkwardness grew. There was only one subject that was taboo on their friendship and the pinkette had just mentioned it. She inwardly cringed as she realised just what she had said. Casting her amber eyes at Garnet, she pleaded with the girl to pull her out of the hole she dug for herself.

"So….change of subject time," Garnet said. "What happened with your little brother, Kai?"

The girl was a goddess.

"That was three days ago and you're asking now?" She nodded sweetly. "Well you won't believe this but I called my dad to check that Matt had got home okay and he told me that he'd met a friend at this park. He's been going to his house practically every day this week."

Garnet smiled happily. "Well that's good, right?"

"Yeah," Kai smirked and folded his arms around his head. "I guess that argument was a blessing in disguise. What can I say? I'm the best big brother ever."

"Sure you are," Garnet said and patted the top of his head. "If you believe that." They all breathed a sigh of relief as the tension was lifted from the room and replaced by Garnet's dry humour. She truly was a star.

A short while later, after some idle chatter on the girl's part and the boys listening, pretending they were interested, Kai had to excuse himself so he could go and meet Hilary. Garnet walked up to her door and hugged him goodbye.

He began to walk down her garden path when she called him back. Slightly annoyed her turned around. "What is it?"

"What's Hilary's phone number?" She yelled.

A suspicious look crossed his face as he walked back towards her house. "Just why would you want to know that?"

"So I can ask her to come to my sleepover with Mariah?" She answered in a voice that told him he should have known that. "On Friday?" He still showed no recognition. "Jeez, Kai. Where have you been the last couple of days. I wanted to invite her seeing as she's gonna be around quite a bit I thought we should be more friends."

"I guess I forgot."

"Hmm." Garnet said as she held out her hand for Kai to write the number on it.

Once he had done so, he retreated from the house and walked down her street. Checking his wristwatch, he saw it was going to be tight for timing. He picked up his pace and headed to the place where it all began.

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Hilary was so mad, it was almost unbelievable. She ran at top speed through the busy streets of Tokyo banging into countless pedestrians and screaming sorry back at them. Their replies hadn't been too thoughtful. The words stupid and kid seemed to be the flavour of the day amongst them. It didn't matter anyway. She was late and it was all Tyson's fault. He was a dead man next time she saw him.

She thought furiously back as Tyson made crude jokes about her and Kai meeting in some secluded place she didn't care to tell him about. They had ended up getting into a heated argument and she'd completely lost track of time. It wasn't until Kenny was finally able to break them up that she realised she was going to be late. The dust was probably still settling from where she took off.

Passing by a shop window, she instantly stopped in horror. Her hair was a mess; she'd been running so fast. Quickly, she dug into her schoolbag and produced a brush and ran it through the tugs and knots and continued on at a quick walking pace: running would be useless since she probably couldn't be any later.

_Damn that Tyson!_

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Kai sighed again and checked the time for the millionth time, give or take, that evening. What on earth could be keeping her so long? He kicked his feet over the edge of the cliff and let them dangle miles above the crashing waves. He lent back on his arms and let the sun shine down on his body. He closed his eyes and listened to the water far below. He could hear it weaving in and out of the rocks and trying to crawl up the cliff's drop.

He was interrupted by a panting of breath and hurried footsteps approaching. He smirked, not bothering to open his eyes.

"You're late," He stated.

Hilary sat down beside him and waited for a few minutes to catch her breath. Her hair, though almost tamed, still stuck out in some places and her cheeks had a red tinge to them.

"I'm sorry!" She said. "Blame Tyson, it's entirely his fault."

With her lungs working as normal, she flopped back onto the grass behind her with her body completely sprawled out as the sun's rays shone down on her as she closed her eyes. Her hair had spread out around her head making her look as if she was wearing a chocolate halo. She opened a ruby eye shielded her face from the intense light.

"You got your results in?" She asked, though it was more a statement.

Kai nodded.

"All A's?"

He nodded again.

"That's what I like to hear."

She closed her eye again and stretched out on the grass. Before long, she felt Kai's hand snake up her arm and there was a weight on top of her body. Her heart fluttered as it normally did when he leaned in to kiss her. She kissed back all too willingly. It had been almost a week since they had last had the chance to be alone and she'd missed it dearly.

Kai's other hand reached under her head and propped it up so he could get better access to her mouth. She allowed her hands to wrap around his neck and curl in between locks of his hair. He loved it when she did that. It was almost as if she knew what she was doing to him.

"I can't stay long," Hilary murmured as Kai left her mouth and sucked on the skin on her neck.

"Cool."

"Maybe only an hour…"

Kai stopped and smirked, looking into her eyes. "Then we'll have to make the most of it."

She giggled as he reached his hands up her t-shirt and cursed herself. She hated how she always sounded so young when she was trying to be mature. There was a reason why she let him away with things that she'd never had expected a boy to do so early on in a relationship. Such as put his hands up her top. Oddly, he wasn't so bold or forward as he had been on Friday and settled with them resting on her stomach and back. She inwardly wondered if he had picked up on some mental vibes.

He stopped what he was doing for some reason and rolled off her, his body lying next to hers in the cool grass.

"I can tell when you have a problem, Hilary." He said.

She bit her lip. "What do you mean?"

"You tend to bite your lip when you're unsure of something." He sighed. "If I'm doing anything you're uncomfortable with you have to let me know. I can't always be a mind reader."

He folded his arms around the back of his head. A small breeze blew over them and Hilary could smell the tempting cologne Kai always wore. Turning her body on to the side, she watched him as he lay with his eyes closed and his face up towards the sky. She knew at this point there would be no more conversation until they left. They would sit in silence: a nice silence. It was the silence that showed you were comfortable with the person you were with. Just him being there with her was enough: if only it could be for longer.

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"I think it's time to go," Kai said after a while. He stood up and rubbed loose bits of grass from his clothes. "I'll walk you home."

Hilary nodded and did the same. They began to walk down the trail from The Spot which led them back to civilisation. The streets were beginning to empty now and the sun was saying a final farewell before it settled behind the land and the moon took over.

Kai took Hilary's hand as they passed the deserted streets until they came to Hilary's house. He stopped at her gate and the kissed goodbye. When he pulled back he noticed Hilary was frowning.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just…we never have a lot of time together, do we?" Her eyes quizzed him, searching him for an explanation.

Kai nodded. "It's hard just now. I have a lot of things on my mind that I need to take care of." He took her hands. "But we will. Soon."

She didn't reply but walked away from him. "Good night."

"I'll phone you later," He called to her as she went inside her house.

Once she had closed the door, he left her garden and walked, hands in his jeans pockets, back to Tyson's.

"Hilary, you're home." Her mother said to her. "A girl, Garnet called earlier. I took her number. It's on the phone table."

"Thanks mom."

At the phone table, she looked at the number in wonder. Why on earth would Garnet phone _her_? She held the paper up to the light and dialled the number on it. After a few rings Garnet answered in what Hilary assumed was her phone voice.

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"Hello," Hilary replied. "It's Hilary. My mom said you called?"

"Oh," Hilary could imagine the recognition dawning on her face from the way she stressed the 'oh'. "Yeah, I did. Listen, I'm having a little sleepover with Mariah on Friday and I was wondering if you wanted to come?"

"Really?" She was little surprised. "I'd love to come!"

Garnet was probably smiling in that confident 'I-knew-she-would' way. "Great. Come over to my house tomorrow night around seven. Bring a toothbrush, sleeping bag, your favourite movie and pyjamas, obviously." She gave Hilary directions to her house and her address. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure! Bye."

"Bye, doll."

_A sleepover with Garnet and Mariah?_ Hilary thought. _This could be interesting._

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Please review!

jellybean-kitty_  
_


	14. The Sleepover

I'm sorry for this! I had to update but didn't know what to update with! I'm having serious writer's block! I'm hoping I can pick up again soon. Anyway, please enjoy it if you can!

Discliamer: I don't own Beyblade

The Sleepover 

Hilary timidly rung the doorbell to Garnet's house and smiled shyly at her mother who answered. She was directed to a very pink looking room where Garnet and Mariah were already lying on the floor, laughing about something. Garnet rolled over onto her back as Hilary walked into the room and smiled up at her.

"Hey," She greeted. "You can dump your bag on the bed if you want. We were just talking about Raymond when you came in. You've not missed much."

"Right," Hilary replied and slipped off her backpack and sleeping bag and placed them on the bed beside what she assumed was Mariah's things. She then sat crossed legged on the floor between the two other girls. "So, um, what are we dong tonight?"

Garnet waved her hand in the air. "The usual. Talk about guys, clothes, guys, make up, guys."

"We talk about guys a lot," Mariah said with a smile.

"And probably we'll fit a few movies in, too." Garnet added. "And eat a lot of food that's gonna clog up our arteries and give us heart attacks." She rolled onto her stomach and propped her chin up with her hands. "So, anyway, Mariah dear, just what were you about to tell me about you and Ray?"

Mariah looked at Hilary warily before speaking. She was unsure about wither to talk about her and Ray's relationship with some one who was really practically a stranger.

"Well…" Garnet leaned in eagerly. "I think we're doing it tomorrow night."

Garnet squealed and clapped her hands. "Really? Wow."

Mariah merely nodded and gave her the look that said it was time to change the subject. Garnet smiled knowingly and allowed her too. She understood that she probably just wasn't comfortable talking about this in front of Hilary and she really couldn't be blamed for that: Hilary's not a close friend.

"So you and Kai, Hils?" The beauty turned her attention to the brunette. "What's going on with you two?" Her ocean blue eyes bore into Hilary's crimson.

"Um, not much." Hilary admitted. "We hardly see each other and we've not actually been out on an actual _date_ date."

Garnet frowned. "Honestly?" She rolled her eyes. "Uh. Men."

"I _know_." Mariah readily agreed. "I mean, do you know how long it took for Ray to finally ask me out." She paused for a millisecond. "In fact, Ray didn't even ask me out! Tala had to do it!" Her voice was full of an almost gentle outrage. She loved him, really. Then her facial expression changed to a sly one and she glanced at Garnet through the corner of her amber eyes. "Speaking of Tala, what's going on with _you_ two? Apart from that whole Ryan incident, you guys have been inseparable."

Her frown deepened. "I don't know. I don't know if I'm ready to have another relationship just now. I mean, I know me and _him,_" She spat the word out as if it was poison, "were never really in an actual relationship but he's kinda affected me deeper than I thought he did." She sighed. "I want to have something with Tala, I _do,_ but I need some time."

Mariah nodded her understanding. "I'm sure he'll wait."

"Damn right he will!" She smirked and tossed her hair. "I'm completely worth waiting for."

"Get over yourself," Mariah said and tossed a pillow at her head. She turned to Hilary. "Have you ever met some one who's so in love with herself?" Hilary made a non committed murmur. "Forget Tala. You should just date yourself!"

"I would if I could."

The three girls burst into a fit of laughter until Garnet's mom came up into the room with a tray of pizza, garlic bread and chocolate. Under her arm she carried a bottle of coke with she displayed in front of the girls. They all chimed a thank you as she left and shut the door firmly behind her.

Garnet took a bite of pizza and drummed her fingernails on the tray. "What can we talk about now?" They were silent for a few seconds. "Hey, Hilary? How'd you do in your exams?"

"I got two B's and the rest A's."

"Well done," She congratulated her. "What subjects did you take?"

"Math, English, Biology, Physics, Geography, Computing Studies, Art and Design and French."

Garnet grimaced. "Physics? That's, like, _the_ most boring subject ever. So what do you wanna do when you leave school?"

Hilary bit her lip as she though about this. "I'm not sure. I think I'd like to do something like child psychology or something. How about you guys?"

"I'm gonna be a singer. Like my mom was." Garnet said with a confident smile.

Hilary's eyes widened. "Really? That's so cool."

"Mmhmm," Mariah agreed. "Compared to us mere mortals who want ordinary jobs."

Garnet said nothing more but continued to chew on her pizza slice slowly. The other two girls did the same. After a few more minutes of a not awkward but not comfortable silence Mariah decided to end it.

"Why don't we put on a movie?" She suggested. "I brought 'Ghost'."

"That movie makes me cry so hard," Garnet said and held a hand to her heart. "It's so romantic! What movie did you bring, Hilary?"

"'Saw'."

"Not so sure about that one. I really wanna watch 'Moulin Rouge' but I've left it over at Voltaire's house." She glowered as she said his name.

"Kai's grandfather?" Hilary asked wringing her brows in confusion. "Why are they there?"

"We left things over at Kai's since we use to go there tons of times and, like, crash." Mariah explained. "I've actually got a few things myself that have gone missing."

"I know!" Garnet said outraged. "I mean, he should have like _waited_ until all out stuff was back before moving out." Mariah and Hilary looked at each other and blinked to which Garnet laughed falsely and rubbed the back of her head. "I was kidding."

"You didn't sound like you were," Hilary heard Mariah mutter.

Hilary could sense there was some annoyance in Mariah's tone which Garnet either didn't notice or chose to ignore: from what she gathered of Garnet both could be just as possible. She felt suddenly uncomfortable with the two girls. There was obviously some tension between them that was never fully resolved although were 'best friends'. It was strange. Then again, she could see where Mariah was coming from. Garnet could be unreasonably selfish: a brat. That much had been certain from day one. The latter girl was also noticeably protective of Kai which she had to admit was a little odd. Some one protecting Kai? It was hard to believe that he needed anyone to lean on.

Mariah and Garnet were now chattering with each other as if they had been doing so all night. Hilary stared at them both in disbelief. Could Garnet not tell that two seconds ago Mariah had looked as though she absolutely despised her? She suddenly remembered why it was she didn't have that many girlfriends. It was the fakeness. If guys had a problem with some one they'd let them know about it. With girl's they just kept their feelings caged up inside of them until it in a desperate struggle for freedom, they escape in a ferocious battle of words.

"I think it's a good idea to watch the movies in order: scary, funny, happy." Garnet interrupted her thoughts. "All agreed?"

Hilary nodded and Mariah voiced her approvals.

"Great," Garnet said while sliding the DVD into the player and the menu popped up on her massive LCD TV. "Let the movie fest begin!"

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Kai showed no acknowledgement that praise was being given to him - a result of his attainment on his exams- on a silver platter. Instead, he looked out of the hotel window with a distant and bored expression on his face. It made Rosanne frown. What was she doing wrong?

"Kai?" Alexander demanded in a harsh tone. "It's rude to be so complacent when you're being complimented."

She inwardly flinched at his tone. She'd warned him so many times that he needed to be careful about what he says to Kai: too gentle or too strict and he may refuse to see them again. He was perfectly capable of it and she had this resounding feeling that he was only agreeing to play family with them out of the goodness of his heart. He didn't need them anymore than he needed Voltaire, or so he thought.

Her crimson eyes bore into him as he sighed deeply and faced his father's criticism. Although he pretended to show a sorrowful look of appreciation it was blindingly obvious to her it was all in pretence. Blaming Kai himself, she knew, was not only pointless but also unfair. The upbringing Kai had wasn't one that exposed him to praise when it was most deserved. Of course he would find it hard to accept it when given freely without anything wanted in return. At least from adults. It made sense when she thought about.

Rosanne thought it was best to give him his gift now as an act of contrition. She handed him an envelope. He thanked her and opened it, pulling out a hundred and fifty dollars worth of notes.

He looked up at her and issued single thanks. She could sense that he felt more thankful than what he showed and smiled in reply. Inside, however, she didn't feel like smiling. There was an undeniable guilt deep in her that flared up whenever she offered something to Kai. It was always as if she was hoping to be reconciled for her sins against him. For example, when she had given him a row after he'd been expelled from his school she had felt obliged, no, necessary to return his phone and cover all future expenses related to it as a form of reconciliation. Surely he must see what she was doing? She suddenly understood how easy it was to spoil a child.

"Matt's not here?" It was more a statement than a question and it was the first conversation Kai had offered to them all night.

His mother smiled. "He's out with his little friend again. He's definitely taken a shine to him." She felt relieved that Kai was showing at least a little interest in being here.

"Have you met him yet?" Kai asked.

"No…not yet." She smiled in a motherly fashion. "I think he's a little nervous about introducing him to us. He won't even tell us his name!"

"That's odd." Kai stated.

Rosanne though it best not to argue for she knew, from many experiences, that it was indeed odd behaviour from any child. Matt, she also knew, was not just any child though.

"…Hilary?"

Alexander asked a question to bring Rosanne from her thoughts with great interest. She hadn't heard much about Kai's new girlfriend, although she had assumed that she was pretty. She would have to be to date Kai. That was about all she knew and even of that she wasn't entirely certain.

Her son's eyes seemed to soften at the very mention of her name, though he didn't say much about her.

"Why don't you ask her over for dinner?" She suggested and looked to Alexander who nodded his approval. "We'd be more than happy to take her out one evening."

"I guess I can ask her…" Kai said in a way that wouldn't commit him to anything.

"You do that Kai and get back to us, okay?"

"Hn."

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"Oh my God," Hilary said and wiped a tear from her eye. "That movie is so sad."

"Yeah," Garnet agreed. "I cry every time I see that movie."

Mariah said nothing but dabbed her tear stricken face with a handkerchief she'd gotten from Garnet earlier. She then looked at the clock on her phone. "Geez, it's only one o'clock."

"Seriously?" Garnet asked in surprise. "What can we do now?"

"More movies?" Hilary suggested.

Mariah looked at her and smirked. "I have an idea. Why don't we give you a haircut?"

"Oh my God!" Garnet cried. "You're a genius!"

Hilary fingered her hair nervously and protectively. "I don't know…"

"Aw come on, Hilary. Don't be such a baby." Mariah said irritably.

Despite her gut feeling, she gave in and let herself be walked to Garnet's en suite. Garnet pulled out a towel from her cupboard and Hilary kneeled on top of it: chewing her lip as if she was there was a famine. Next, she pulled out a pair of scissors and handed them to Mariah who shook her head.

"Don't be stupid." She said. "You have to wet her hair first."

Garnet slapped her forehead as if she couldn't believe she'd forgotten and then directed Hilary to the bathtub and held her head over it as Mariah poured cups of water over it until it was completely dripping. She was once again made to kneel on the towel as Mariah combed it into place and then her heart almost tore in two as she heard the _snip_ of the scissors as it cut through a strand of her hair.

"Guys are you sure about this?" Hilary couldn't help keeping the panic from her voice as it went a couple of decibels higher.

"Of course," Mariah answered. "And besides, Kai will love it."

The pinkette's face was knotted in complete concentration as she snipped and cut off sections of the chocolate coloured hair and let it fall onto the towel. Garnet watched in fascination as little by little Hilary's hair got shorted and shorter. A while later, Mariah smiled in completion.

Hilary was once again led by the two other girls and was made to kneel in front of Garnet's hug full length mirror. Garnet then began to dry her hair with a hair dryer and, as her hair began to take shape, she liked what she saw. Her face had completely changed. Her once girlish bangs had been revamped into a more mature style: although there were still bangs.

"Wow," Garnet gushed. "You look so hot!"

Hilary nodded her approval.

"I can't wait to show the guys tomorrow." Mariah said as she inspected every inch of her subjects head.

"We're seeing the guys tomorrow?" Hilary enquired.

"Yeah. My parents are going out and I asked Ray, Tala and Kai to come over. Max is going out with his dad and Tyson's doing something with Kenny." Garnet informed her while letting out a huge yawn that exposed each one of her pearly teeth. "Are you girls ready to sleep?"

Without waiting for an answer, she fetched her pyjamas and changed into them. Hilary felt a flush of embarrassment as she watched Garnet get almost nude in front of her. She also felt embarrassed as she realised she was expected to do the same. She turned her back to them and quickly changed, hoping that she wasn't being watched.

"Prudish much?" Garnet asked her with an amused look on her face. "We're all girls here."

"I'm sorry. I'm not used to it."

Mariah smiled. "Don't worry. Garnet's just a bee-atch who doesn't care who she shows her body off to."

She looked at Garnet as she waited for some sort of snappy retort but she had fallen fast asleep on her bed already. Mariah sniggered and rolled her eyes before crawling into her sleeping bag. Hilary copied and before long they had all been taken into a deep slumber.

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Please review!

jellybean-kitty


	15. Reasons To Smile

Hey guys! I think I'm almost out of my block since I was able to sit down and write this in, like, two hours which is a miracle for me! However, most of it is written on the document editor you get on FanFiction so I apologise in advance for any mistakes I've made to punctuation and spelling!

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

Reasons To Smile

A huge yawn escaped Hilary's mouth as she stretched in the sunlight that had woke her from her peaceful slumber. The first thing she noticed was alot of pink all around her which made sense when she remembered she had stayed at Garnet's house. The second thing was that none of the other girls were in the bedroom. She frowned slightly: why hadn't they woken her up? Shrugging it off, she crawled out of her sleeping bag and made her way downstairs where she heard the two girls talking quietly in Garnet's kitchen.

"Morning Hilary!" Garnet sang as the brunette went inside. "I didn't want to wake you since you seemed so peaceful. Do you want breakfast?" Hilary nodded and sat once one of the empty stools at the breakfast bar. "Dad! We want breakfast now. We'll go sit in the dining room while he's making it." She told the girls who followed her into the next room. Mariah and Garnet sat at the large, wooden and expensive looking table where place mats had been set out for them all, complete with a jug of water, orange juice and tea. "Help yourself to drinks."

Mariah needed no invitation and poured herself a glass of juice and also one for Garnet. "What do you want Hilary?"

"Um...water, please." She took a sip out of the glass that was poured to her. "What time are the guys coming over at?"

Garnet shrugged. "Whenever we're ready, I guess."

At that moment, Garnet's mother came in with a platter full of breakfast foods: cereals, cooked foods, fruit, everything. Thanking her, the girls tucked in and began to eat their fill, ceasing all conversation.

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"Oh, my God," Garnet said, proudly as she finished off the finishing touch. "You look_ awesome!" _She titled the mirror towards Hilary and allowed her to look at the finished product. "See?"

Hiliary lightly fingered her face, not quite believing that the image she was seeing was herself. Garnet had spent the last half hour putting make up on her face, treating her as if she was some sort of canvas that had to be painted delicately and in doing so had made Hilary almost unrecognisable. Starting off with a light foundation base, she had added a cheek blush to bring out her 'pronounced cheekbones'. Her eyes - her 'best feature', according to Garnet - were simply framed in khol black eyeliner and her eyelashes been coated in a simple black volumising mascara. Now, she looked everyone of her fifteen years and perhaps even older.

"That is so hot!" Mariah confirmed as she applied her own coat of mascara to her eyes so that the lashes flicked to the sides giving her an uncanny resemblance to a cat. "Can you pass me the curlers?" Garnet did so. "Why don't you call the guys, Hilary? Tell them to be her in, like, an hour?" Garnet nodded her approval. "Yeah, an hour."

"Actually, don't bother phoning, Hilary. Just send one of them a text." Garnet contradicted and Mariah frowned in annoyance.

As if to hide it, she sucked her cheekbones in a little. "But, Garnet, what if they don't get it right away?"

She rolled her eyes. "Well if you're gonna get so worked up about it!"

Hilary saw Mariah breath out heavily and try desperately to keep a placid expression on her face. She heard her mutter something that sounded astoundingly like 'bitch'. Awkardly she took Garnet's phone and called Kai, all to aware of the irrated looks she was being thrown from both of the girls. Keeping it as brief as possible, she hung up in under a minute.

"Happy?" Garnet pointedly said to Mariah.

"Absolutely," Said the other, forcing a smile.

"I'm glad," She returned her smile as if all animosity was forgotten. "Oh and Hil, you can keep the make up I used on you. I'm too tanned and for the eyes I was bought new stuff. Besides, you need it more than I do."

"Uh, thanks?" Hilary replied, completely aware of the unintentional insult.

"Don't mention it."

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Kai was worried about Hilary: big time. Was it such a good idea to let her spend a night with Garnet and Mariah when she wasn't used to them yet? When she'd called she had seemed a little distant, as if there was something plaeging her mind and he wasn't going to be in denial that the two girls weren't always the loveliest of people, at least around each other. Anyone who didn't know them that well would probably think that they almost detested each other but the fact was, they, as was everyone in their tight and secluded friendship, were like family. They argued like family, fought like family and just as easily made up like family. A stranger wouldn't understand that. Hell, a stranger wouldn't even think they could possibly be friends. Hilary was practically a stranger.

Garnet answered the door and let them in, throwing Kai a mischievous smile which immediately told him that she knew something he didn't know. And that she was proud of it. He dreaded to think what it could possibly be, knowing Garnet's twisted little mind. Had she plotted some form of hostal takeover of the world or possibly thought up a plot to assassinate people who were major animal testers? He wouldn't put it past her.

God help him.

He passed Mariah as he entered the living room with Ray and Tala somewhere behind him. Even she was biting her lip as if there was some huge surprise that she couldn't keep to herself for much longer. At least he knew, with Mariah involved, that perhaps it wasn't world/fashion domination Garnet had achieved. He could let his hair down for a little bit.

"Hey, Kai," Hilary said shyly as she came into view.

His eyes nearly popped out his head. She was almost completely different. Her hair was shorter and more styled. Her bangs, which had given her a previous childlike presence, were now framing her face and giving it a more mature and defined look. And she was wearing make up. It had obviously been done by one of the girls who had more experience. Her ruby eyes were now standing out even more prominently on her angelic face thanks to perfectly framed eyes and enhanced lashes. Even her skin had an older look to it and the rougue that had been spread over her cheekbones made her look as if she could pass for a model, no problem. Then she smiled and his heart almost stopped beating. God, how he was fighting his sudden urge to kiss her, to kiss those pink tinted lips that were unwittingly teasing him so much.

"You look..." What? What could he say? Words just couldn't descibe how she looked. He'd fallen for her all over again. "...great." Out of all the words in his over abundant vocabulary, that was the only word he could think of? How he wished some one would hurt him right now.

"Thanks," She took his hand and led him over to a couch. "You know, you can stop staring now."

He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. "Just a few more minutes."

"I have to say," Garnet said once everyone had finished complimenting Hilary's new appearance, "That I am, in fact, a genius."

Mariah cocked an eyebrow. "If you're such a genius how come it was my idea?"

Garnet smiled in an unamused fashion and sat down in between her and Tala. "Minor details. Let's not pay them any attention."

Mariah rolled her eyes good naturedly and allowed Ray to put an arm around her shoulders. As if following in order, Kai found his arm around Hilary's shoulders as she leaned into him and he instinctively folded his other arm around her body. She took hold of it and wrapped it around her tighter, more secure. They turned to each other and smiled, completely content to be in each other's arms. Somewhere in the room, there was a conversation going on but they weren't aware of it: it was only each other. Kai let his hand slide a tiny bit up her lemon coloured strap top and let it rest on the flat of her stomach, loving the warmth that was resignating from it.

Not far from them - across the room- Garnet was all too aware of the fact that her friends were coupling up. She didn't want it to be known that it phased her but it did. It made her a little sour to see her friends so happily in love with their beaus and her so not. It was unfair, unhumane and downright rude. They shouldn't be allowed to be so happy in front of her. Or at least they could pretend to be sad just a little bit. She knew it was selfish. Lord, did she know it. But it was a feeling of bitterness she couldn't help. Especially when Mariah had told her that her and Ray would be stepping up to the next level. How long would it be until Hilary and Kai did they same? Then would she be forgotten? Would it just be her and Tala left? She wouldn't mind if it was. But only Tala.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched him as he too seemed to be remorseful that his friends weren't single yet he was. He turned his head slightly towards her and she instantly looked away. She had to fight the temptation to look back and see if was her he was now staring at. God, how she hoped it was. Mariah was babbling on about something they had been talking about last night and she feigned interest but realistically, she just didn't care. Carefully, she slid her eyes back to Tala and saw that he was looking at her hands which were rested and folded on her lap. Then she saw his hand rise a little but drop just as fast. Her heart beat that little bit faster. Was he about to take her hand?

_Dammit, Tala! Just take the bloody thing!_ She mentally shrieked at him.

It was such a simple gesture but right now it was all she wanted. She wanted her hand to be in his. Only his. She sighed. It was time for her to take matters into her own hands, Garnet Granger style. She stretched dramatically and twisted her body so that her feet had spread across Mariah and Ray and her top half was resting on Tala's lap. Casually, she rested her head on the arm rest and folded her arms underneath it. Mariah and Ray looked at other in annoyed amusement -Ray especially as he had the feet- where as Tala cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Comfortable?" He asked, allowing himself to smirk.

Garnet giggled flirtaciously. "Uh-huh."

Tala, trying to act as cooly as possible, put his hands over her stomach as if they'd already been there before she'd flung herself on him. He saw that she noticed the action but instead of flinging his hands off her, she sat up a little and took her legs off the other two so it seemed as if she was actually sitting on top of him. He cast his eyes around the room to see what everyone else was doing, but they were all more interested in each other than what he and Garnet were doing. Hesitating for only a brief second, he put his arm around the girl's back so she was being supported and in suite, she put both of her's around his neck and looked at him in an almost seductive fashion, or perhaps that was just him giving in to this desire he'd been caging up inside him like an animal.

Tala noticed his breathing quicken slightly as he leaned in towards her mouth, slowly, slowly until his lips met hers. At first, he could feel that she was a little stunned, though not completely surprised. He could taste the sweet fruity taste of her lipgloss and wanted more. She seemed to as well. She brought her other hand up to his cheek and lightly kept it there as she arched her back upwards so Tala could have more access. She felt his other hand stroke her face gently as their tongues touched softly and repeatedly.

Garnet broke away slighlty. "It took you long enough." She began to kiss him again.

"I wasn't sure if you were ready," He said in between them.

Suddenly the doorbell rang and Garnet groaned loudly, getting off the couch and mentally sursing the world.

"Can't your mom or dad get it?" Tala complained and pulled her back onto him.

"No," She replied giggling. "They're out otherwise they'd have been checking in on us every five minutes."

Leaving Tala, she stood up and went to answer the door. He then noticed all eyes where on him. Mariah seemed fit to burst and Kai nodded his approval to which he smirked at. They were all silent so they could hear who was at the door. There was the muffled sound of it being unlocked and at first there was silence. Kai and Tala exchanged puzzled glances and leaned in closer so they could hear better. There was a young male voice saying something but still they couldn't hear Garnet.

"I'm going to go see what's going on," Kai muttered.

"Right behind you," added Tala.

They got to the door to see Garnet standing speachless whilst holding a bouquet of red roses and a box of expensive looking Belgian chocolates. The giver of the gifts, none other than Ryan Sanders, was standing at the door with a sincere look on his face. Kai could see through it easily. The boy's confident smile melted away when he saw Kai glaring at him but his eyes didn't lose that cocky glint to them. About a thousand emotions ran through Kai at that very moment: hate, worry, annoyance but the one that stood out was anger. And he had a lot of it. He shoved past Garnet and stood between her and Sanders. He roughly snatched the presents from the girl and held them up.

"Do you want these?" He asked her sharply to which she shook her head. He turned to Sanders and pushed to roses into his chest. "She doesn't want these, Sanders. She doesn't want anything to do with you. Don't phone her, don't e-mail her, don't contact her in any way. I suggest that you get the hell off her property or we'll call the police."

Sanders held his gaze for a few seconds and smirked. "Fine," He held his hands up in mock surrender. "I'll go." He walked down the path with, swaggering as he did so and met with two of his friends on the way back onto the street.

When he was out of sight, Kai allowed himself to unclench his fists and he handed the chocolates back to Garnet although they looked slightly squeezed. Without saying anything, she accepted them and retreated from the door and back into the living room where the other three immediately noticed her pale face and demanded to know just what it was that was troubling her. Tala and Kai appeared at her back with an unregisterable look on both their faces.

"We'll be back in a few minutes," Tala stated and they left.

"Aren't you going to stop them?" Mariah asked Garnet, gently while rubbing her back. She hated to see her normally arrogant and egotistical friend look so deflated and vulnerable but at the same time, she didn't want the boys to do something stupid, however she knew it wasn't her place nor responsibility to interfere.

"Not this time," Her friend replied in a choked voice.

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"Sanders!" Kai called as he and Tala ran up behind the blonde haired boy who sighed in irritation as if they were nothing but people who had to be indured as part of his civil duty.

"Hiwatari." He replied evenly and crossed his arms.

There was nothing Kai wanted to do more than to smash that little bored face to pulp. He refrained. "We need to get a few things clear." He paused for a few seconds. "If you ever approach Garnet again, we'll call the police and report on the bases of harassment."

"You've already told me that," Sanders stated. "Please don't waste anymore of my time."

"_If_ that doesn't work," Kai continued as if nothing had been said, "Me and Tala," the red head nodded to his name, "will hunt you down and kick the shit out of you."

The other boys burst out laughing and Sanders made a shooshing motion in order to control them. "Do you know who I am?"

"Well, considering you're walking on foot like any ordinary person, I'm going to gather you're not that important," Tala said and moved to the other side of him. "But that's not concerning us. The fact of the matter is, we don't care. What we do care about is Garnet's well being. And, before you say anything else, we're not stupid. We know you have back up. We do too. But, we're not going to come after you when you have little cheerleaders with you. We'll get you when you're alone and defensless. It may be cowardly but, hey, do we care?" He felt a feeling of superior power run through him as Sander's face went visibly paler. "And we'll leave you for dead. Or possibly even dead, depending on how we're feeling. And after that, we'll leave the country until the commotion has died down a bit. After all, we are from Russia and so we'll go home. No one can deny that we could just have been going home."

"That's smart." Sanders said, his confidence completely failing him. "You've told me all that in front of witnesses." The two other boys with him seemed to wish they were somewhere else when Kai turned to them and held them under his fiery stare.

"Glad you brought them up," Kai smiled. "Becuase if they interfere, then we'll hunt them down too. After all, no one likes a squealer, right? And you won't like what Russian's do to squealers."

"We make them infertile," Tala whispered to them.

Kai saw all three of them get that fearful look in their eyes an he thrived on it. He loved the intimidation they were feeling and, more to the point, he loved the fact that it was him they were intimidated by. "I think you get the picture. So stay the fuck away from Garnet."

Saying no more, Kai and Tala left them with their mouths gaping open, feeling a bit more cheery than they had just a few minutes ago. Especially since what they had said was entirely true. They couldn't be held responsible for their actions should Sanders do something foolish. Even now, Kai wanted to turn back and smash the guys face into the ground until it would be unrecognisable to even his parents. But that would all be in good time if the boy was rash, though he figured he wouldn't be. Who in their right minds would mess with Tala and Kai?

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"Well?" Garnet demanded when the two boys returned. "What happened?"

"He got the message." Kai said simply. "You won't see him again."

"Thanks," She said softly and hugged the two of them. "You guys are the best." They hugged her back until she felt satisfied her gratitude was well known. Happiness overwhelmed her when she realised just how much they cared about her and she couldn't stop smiling.

"Don't mention it," Tala replied and kissed her.

She kissed him back and realised there was more than one reason why she was smiling.

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Please review!

jellybean-kitty xx

* * *


	16. S'kool Trade

I'm afraid this isn't one of my best. I hope you guys still enjoy it though!

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade  


S'kool Trade 

"Kai," Garnet said, almost timidly. "Tala's got something to tell you."

They had all - Mariah, Tala, Kai and Garnet – been called to the principal's office and were now waiting to be seen and Kai, for one, had no idea what they'd done wrong this time, if that was even the case. Sometimes, though, it seemed that woman had it in for the whole lot of them: though only sometimes.

Kai looked at Tala expectantly as he awaited the news. He half expected it to be bad otherwise Garnet would have taken the liberty of telling it herself. "Well?"

"Tayler saw you threatening that little guy last week." He said eventually. "We didn't tell you earlier since she didn't seem to take any action."

He rolled his eyes. "Fantastic."

At that moment, the principal came out of her office and smiled brightly at them all: an action which completely put them off guard. Nervously casting each other glances, they followed her into the office which they were al to familiar with and took the seats offered to them. The moment they'd parked their rears on the cushioned chairs, they were all given ominous leaflets which they studied carefully.

" S'kool Trade?" Garnet asked with an expression not to far from a sneer on her face. The idea, to her, seemed ridiculous. And the name didn't exactly help the case. "Are you mad?"

Mrs. Tayler coughed in the way that told them it wasn't that she needed to clear her throat. "Miss. Granger, if you please. It's been decided that, for experimentation, we're going to take some children from the local school and some children from here and swap then around. Hence the term, 'S'kool Trade' as in it's cool to trade schools." They all stared at her with unamused expressions. "Well, I can see that you're not too enthusiastic, but I actually need your help to promote this idea. I know that the pupils of this school look up to you four in particular and so if you pretend this idea is amazing then people will follow your example."

"So…you want us to pretend that we're all for this?" Kai asked.

"Actually, there's more to it than that." She paused as if she was deliberately keeping them in suspense for the most exciting news. "I want _you_ and four others to take part in the trade."

"You're kidding?" Mariah's face was deadpanned. "That's like social suicide."

"Anything but!" Mrs. Tayler then smiled eerily sweetly. "After all, I did see some incriminating action from you, Mr. Hiwatari, with a younger classman. I would hate to have to report it and inevitably expel you. Don't you agree?"

Kai smirked, unable to hide that fact that he was impressed. "That's blackmail, Mrs. Tayler." They held each others gaze for several seconds before Kai sighed in defeat. "Alright. I'm in."

"I guess we are too." Mariah added. "But, if you don't have anyone else in mind, perhaps two of the other people could be Ray Kon and Max Tate?"

The principal shrugged. "Why not? The trade will begin two days from now. Basically, you turn up at Tokyo High School and you'll be registered at the reception desk before first bell at usual start of the school day. It's very simple. You'll spend until Friday there and you'll follow their rules and procedures. Except, of course, you wear your own uniform."

"Sounds fun," Garnet forced a smiled though the sarcasticness in her face wasn't so easily hidden.

"I'm glad you think so."

* * *

"This is so unfair!" Garnet almost screamed on her way back to class. "I mean, why do _we_ have to do it? There's so many uncool people who would be more than happy to go through the public humiliation that is 'S'kool Trade'." The flier in her hand was flapping about in the air as she spoke like it was trying to escape her wrath. "I mean, come on, 'S'kool'? Just who are they kidding?" She glared at the flier angrily as if it had insulted her beyond forgiveness. 

"I don't know," Kai said as he reread it. "This could be alright, I suppose."

"Yeah, only 'cause your girlfriend goes to that school. Mine's goes to this one!" Garnet huffed.

"You have a girlfriend?" Mariah asked innocently. "Anyway, Kai's right. We'll go there and we'll completely dominate everyone. It'll be fine." She tossed her hair a la Garnet. "I mean, we'll, like, totally own that entire school since we're, like, totally hot and sexy and stuff, I mean." She tossed her hair again for good measure and burst out laughing at Garnet's completely fuming face. Even the boys couldn't hide their grins.

"If you think that's funny, try looking at your face," Garnet countered. "But, I guess you do have a point. Everyone will love us. I mean, that's the way it's always been. For the four of us, I mean. Everyone always wants to be around us and stuff and practically want to _be_ us and I mean, this school isn't even private so what chance have they got against our charms?" She smiled to herself. "You know what? I think I'm going to like this 'S'kool Swap' thing."

"'S'kool _Trade_." Tala corrected.

She held up a hand to silence him. "Whatever."

"You know, _princess_," Kai began, "I think that's possibly the snobbiest thing you've ever said. Just because it's not private doesn't mean they're going to adore you. Especially if you have that attitude about them. And may I remind you that your own cousin is in a state school?" He smirked to himself at the very thought of Tyson going to any school that had a dress code. "So maybe that's a bad example, but you know what I mean."

Mariah wrapped an arm around Garnet's shoulders. "Are you sure you're going to be able to cope among the riff-raff? These people may not know the common thing of"-she gasped and lowered her voice dramatically- "manicures every week."

"God, I didn't think of that!" Garnet said with disbelief in her voice. "It might be quite difficult among the commoners."

Mariah blinked several times and removed her arm. "_I_ was only joking."

"You know something, Garnet?" Tala asked, a slight smile playing at his lips, "I hope you never change."

Garnet nodded haughtily. "Everyone needs a snob in their group. It brings balance to the world and, I think, it makes the world a better place to be." Everyone stopped in their tracks to stare at her. "So maybe I saw that in a Greenpeace advert. Without the snob bit, I mean. They were talking about trees. But it's the same principal." Kai shook his head. "Kinda?" He kept shaking his head. "Well….whatever."

Tala looked at his watch and frowned. "There's only ten minutes until the next class. There's no point in going to this one. Let's just stay here until the bell rings."

"If it's getting me out of biology, who am I to complain?" Garnet said and leaned against the wall before taking out her pink compact mirror and a hair brush. She ran the brush through her glossy, black, straight hair several times until she was sure it looked perfect.

"So we have ten minutes of aimless chat." Mariah speculated. "Okay…so what are you all doing tonight?"

"Nothing." Tala replied.

Garnet sighed. "Nada."

"I'm taking Hilary out."

"Oh," Mariah regarded with vague interest. "_Taking_ her out? Care to elaborate on that?" She took out her mobile phone from her shoulder bag to check the time on it.

"I can see that you're interested," Kai said, smirking. "So I'm going to keep a surprise." Mariah glared at him in protest, now wanting what she wasn't going to get. "Yeah, _now_ you want to know."

Mariah shrugged. "I'll find out wither or not you tell me." Then she smiled sweetly as the bell began to ring. "I only hope you have fun."

* * *

Hilary was completely at a loss. She had no idea just what Kai was planning tonight. All he had said had been to 'dress smartly'. Just what did that mean? She had indeed put on 'smart' clothes - a red polka dotted dress teamed with red patent shoes- but she was still curious as to why she was wearing clothes she would normally only wear on special occasions. Looking out of her window, she felt a sigh escape from her lips. It was a beautiful summer's night and outside she could hear the twitter of birds as they flew through the sky. They probably didn't need to worry about their boyfriends taking them out on dates to unknown places. She sighed once again as she felt her stomach begin to knot. That feeling always came whenever she was seeing Kai. What was it about him that made her feel so giddy? Sometimes, though she'd never admit aloud, it made her not want to see him. It always worried her that she felt so much younger around him. Indeed, he was more mature than her and that was understandable. He _had_ to be matured beyond his fifteen years to get through his life. Unfortunately, that made her have this feeling of inadequacy. 

Outside of her window a car horn beeped and she saw Kai get out of his sister's silver convertible. He looked very presentable in a blue dress shirt and black pin stripe trousers so obviously tonight they were something a bit more special than the movies. Downstairs, she heard Kai ring the doorbell and her mom answering it before calling her down. This was the first time her mom had actually met Kai in the flesh so she'd have to get down here quickly on order to save him from getting the third degree from both of her parents. There was only so much a young boy could handle.

Giving herself a once over in the mirror, she decided that she was presentable enough greet Kai and left her room, grabbing her handbag - this too was in red- and left her room. Making her way downstairs, she could hear that poor Kai was now being grilled about his school grades. Boy, were her mom and dad in for a surprise. She paused and listened for their reaction. Yep. She'd been right. Her mom's voice had now risen to the high pitched tone she used when she was surprised but pleased. Even her father had felt the need to offer him some congratulations. She had no idea Kai was such a charmer when it came to parents.

"There's Hilary, now," Mrs. Tatibana stated the obvious as Hilary walked into the sitting room. "We've just been talking to Kai. If you want to stay a little longer, we'll show you Hilary's baby photos?" She asked Kai with a devilish smile.

"Mommm," Hilary groaned.

"I'm only joking," Her mom assured her, though Hilary wasn't convinced. "I think you two should get a move on. Your sister will be waiting on you."

"Alright," Kai said, moving out of the door. "It was nice to meet you both."

Mrs. Tatibana smiled. "And you, Kai."

"Don't bring Hilary home late." Her father warned sternly to which Kai smiled once again.

"I won't, sir."

They both watched the teens get into the car as Kai opened the door for Hilary and then getting in on the other side.

"What a nice young man," Mrs. Tatibana commented.

"He'll be good for Hilary."

* * *

"Hey, Hilary." Lexine greeted her as she wove in between the cars on the road. "We've not met. I'm Lexine." She flashed her the superstar smile that Hilary had seen in many magazines and billboards. "It's a pleasure." 

"Yeah," Hilary agreed, not knowing what else to say. "Your car's awesome." Lexine didn't bother to reply: either because she was concentrating on the road or because she'd heard it all before. "Where are we going?" She asked Kai.

"Donnely's." He said simply.

Donnely's was a very exclusive restaurant in the upper class part of the town. Hilary had never been in personally, but she'd read about it in magazines and papers that the cost of a single meal there would put a small country out of debt. Then again, that may be a slight exaggeration. Still, though, she'd never eaten in a place where to get in, you had to abide by a dress code or even been for a meal with a boyfriend. This would be a new experience.

Lexine pulled up in front of the restaurant door's and let her two passengers out. She told Kai to phone her when they were done and then drove off. Kai led her though the doors which were being held open by two stiff looking employees donning black tuxedos. As she went further into the restaurant, she saw that every waiter was wearing them. They were led to a secluded table in the back of the restaurant which was lit by two candles in the centre. One of the waiters pulled Hilary's chair out for her while the other folder a napkin onto her lap. She was given a menu and she began to leaf through it. To her surprise, there were no prices on her menu anywhere. She realised that must be so that no one would worry about ordering a meal that was expensive, or so that they didn't realise they were doing so.

A new waiter came over and took their order for drinks. Hilary, unsure what would be the most costly, just ordered a water to be safe. Kai did the same but not for the same reason.

"Will you relax?" He chided Hilary in amusement. "Don't worry about the prices. My mom and dad will cover it."

"It's just I've never been in a place this posh!" Hilary gushed. "They even have caviar as a side dish!" She glanced through the menu again. "Half these things I've never even heard of. How do you pronounce half of these names?"

Kai shrugged. "I'm not even sure what half of these things are either. I just pretend I do." He took a sip out of his water. "But I don't want to spend the night talking about it." Pausing briefly, he thought of something to change the subject to. "Have you heard about the trade going on between our two schools?"

She nodded excitedly. "Yeah! We were told about it today. Some people from our years are going to yours and vice versa, right? I'm not one of those people, before you ask."

"I am. Along with Garnet, Tala, Mariah, Ray and Max."

"Really? This is gonna be so cool!" Hilary smiled. "It'll be a bit weird, though, won't it? Us all going to the same school for a few days? And a bit of a coincidence, if I may add."

The waiter walked over to their table and took out a notebook and pen. "May I take your order?"

"I'll have…a Caesar salad, please."

"Beef Stroganoff."

He wrote it down and took their menus from them.

"Beef Stoganaff?" Hilary asked. "What's that?"

"Stoganoff." He corrected. "And it's a meal I used to get in Russia. I quite like it."

They were silent for a few moments. "Okay," Hilary said, "I have to ask why are you doing this?" Kai looked taken aback. "Taking me out to a place like this? It's not something I'd have expected you to do. I mean, it's nice and all, don't get me wrong but why this big gesture?"

"I don't want anything from you, if that's what you're implying," He said sourly after a few seconds. "And like I said before, my parents are covering the costs. It was _you_ who was complaining we never see each other and now you're complaining when we do?"

Hilary inwardly flinched as she realised how she must have sounded. "I'm didn't mean it like that." She put her hand on his and looked at him, trying her best to show her sincerity. "I'm just…pleasantly surprised that you'd go through all this effort for me. Don't be mad."

He removed his hand. "…I'm not mad I'm offended."

At that moment, their meals were brought and placed before them. They immediately began eating in silence. The mood of the night had been spoiled. Hilary felt awkward at this piercing silence that had taken over them both. She knew that any further attempt at conversation would be a wasted effort on her part since she had now succeeded in insulting Kai when he was just trying to show that he cared.

When the meal was finished, Kai promptly asked for the bill and used a credit card to pay for it. He barely looked at Hilary once as they left. He had though that tonight would be a great way to show that he liked her but why did she have to be like that? What was he doing wrong? Any other girl would appreciate a grand gesture like that, so why didn't Hilary? It annoyed him to no end he was so bothered by it. Obviously, she wasn't used to this treatment but couldn't she just take it in her stride? He thought all this while phoning for Lexine to come and pick them up.

"She's coming now." Kai told his girlfriend and folded his arms.

"You _are_ mad at me!" Hilary said accusingly. "You folded your arms the way you do when you're pissed off!" She narrowed her eyes at him. "You liar."

"There's different ways to fold your arms?" Kai said cynically.

Hilary smirked. "I see you didn't deny it." Kai was silent for a few seconds as he realised he'd just be tricked. He couldn't help smile at the realisation to which Hilary seemed to have a field day with. "I got you smiling again! So you're not angry with me?"

"How could I ever be angry at you?" Kai asked and kissed her.

"We'll have enough of that!" Lexine yelled at them from her car as she pulled up on the curb. Kai broke of and glanced at Hilary sheepishly. They got into the car in the fashion as before: Kai playing the part of gentleman.

They dropped Hilary off at her house a few minutes later, both uttering simple 'goodbyes', all too aware of Kai's older sister watching them closely. They waited until Hilary had got in home safely before driving away again.

Lexine began to snigger to herself, causing Kai to raise and eyebrow curiously. "You are so in love with her it's not even funny." She laughed.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Funny," Lexine retorted. "I didn't hear you deny it."

* * *

Please review!

jellybean-kitty


	17. He Blades?

Hey guys! I thought I'd put some of the Matt sidestory in here since, eventually, he's going to play a part in the conclusion. Or that's the plan right now, at least! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

He Blades? 

The first thing Kai noticed as he walked into Tokyo High was that it was huge, much bigger than his own school. The second thing was that it was modern. His own school took pride in being one of the oldest buildings within its community, but this one looked as if it had only been built a few years ago. Inside, however, it was evident who's was the better school. The corridors looked well used and the walls were in desperate need of a paint job and in some places replastering, nothing like the immaculate structure he was used to. Looking over at Garnet, he had to chide her for wrinkling her nose at the shabby interior.

"Geez," She whispered, "You'd think from all the taxes the people are paying they could at least afford half decent decorating!"

"Shoosh, Garnet!" Mariah hissed as they walked up to the reception desk. "Stop being so stuck up!" She had to admit, this school was nothing like her own. This one was more friendly. The pleasant atmosphere made it so.

"Are you the exchange students?" The receptionist made an intelligent guess as she speculated their uniforms. "I have your timetables here." She handed a wad of papers over to Mariah who dished them out to everyone. "You're required to go the assembly hall first thing to introduce yourself to the year. It's just down the hallway. You can't miss it. There'll be a member of staff waiting for you at the doors."

"Thanks ma'am." Mariah replied on behalf of all of them.

They followed her directions were greeted by a friendly looking middle aged man who gave them all a small wave as they approached. He flashed them a toothy grin. "My name's Mr. Lock. I teach biology here at Tokyo High. We're very pleased to have you here." The shine in his eyes showed that he was being genuine.

Garnet smiled back. "It's great to be here. We've been looking forward to it. I'm Garnet. This is Mariah, Kai, Ray, Tala, Steve and Emily." She stood on her tiptoes and peered through the window of the door and into the assembly hall. "There're so many people. Are they all in our year?"

Mr. Lock nodded. "I know that your school has a lot less people in it, right?" Garnet confirmed that. "Yeah, there's around one hundred and fifty people in the year compared to your, what, forty? But, surprisingly enough, that's nothing compared to some of the bigger schools in the city! Some have total pupil numbers over ten thousand!" Not knowing what else to do with this useless information, she tried a smile again. It seemed to be the right reaction as he stopped talking about that without seeming offended. "I know you kids probably won't be too happy about this, but the head of our school wants you to introduce yourselves to the year." He made a face that resembled a grimace though he was too cheery for it to be effective. "I used to hate doing things like that when I was in school. I suppose, for the most part, you guys will be quite used to it, being on T.V and all, right?"

"I guess," Mariah said, "But it's a lot harder talking to your peers than with a bunch of strangers who you'll never have to meet."

Lock shrugged. "Nothing you guys can't handle. Shall we?"

He gestured with his hand through the door and led them into a hall of bored looking teenagers. Bored, that was, until they caught sight of whom it was that was joining their school. There were excited murmurs as they recognised each of the bladers and the girl they'd recognised as being the girlfriend of Kai Hiwatari. If they'd had known just _who_ it was that was coming into their school, they'd certainly have been looking forward to it more than they had been. There was silence once again as the eight teenagers stepped up onto the stage at the front and each in introduced themselves to the gathered body. It was a bit pointless, really. Who didn't know who they were?

Afterwards, their principal, a stern looking older women not far from retirement, launched herself into a speech about making their guests feel welcome and helping them getting around the school. And, of course, not hounding them for autographs at any given chance. Kai, however, paid no attention to the drone of the woman but instead scanned the sea of pupils for Hilary, Tyson and Kenny. Tyson had told him everything he needed to know about the High from the best teachers to ways to skip the lunch queue. The 'important' things. He'd also told him that wherever he was, Hilary was never far so he tuned his eyes to search for the cap that seemed to be permanently glued onto his head. Just as he thought, Tyson was the only person sporting any sort of headwear and finding him was an easy enough task. He'd positioned himself right in the middle row which was possibly the most predictable choice for Tyson to make: that way, he wouldn't have to worry about being easily caught when he decided talk to Kenny. Hilary was sitting to the right of him and gave him a small wave as he caught her eye. He gave her a brief nod before she turned her attention back to the teacher who was now addressing the traders.

"…and I hope that this school can provide you with a new and memorable experience." He tuned in to hear her speech just as she finished. Pity. She began to dismiss the teens in order of class and then, once the hall was cleared, she issued each of the transfers a timetable for the next three days. Kai looked at it with mild interest. They'd been able to slot all his subjects into the normal school curriculum. He checked with the others and saw that for every class he was with at least on person he knew. Curiously, he wondered if he would be in one with Tyson, Hilary or Kenny. He'd need to find them. But first, it seemed they had to go to class.

* * *

Sitting in maths class, Kai realised that he'd been completely wrong about public schools in the way that there were people who went to them were just as clever as he was; it was only that there were fewer. Their teacher, a jolly and robust man who went by the name Al – he insisted that 'that Mr nonsense is too informal'-, had made the lesson much more entertaining than they ever had in Oakwood. The teachers in his school only focussed on their education and nothing else for nothing was more important to them than churning out all 'A' students: after all the parents were paying so much money that they couldn't afford anything less. Here, he felt at ease. As if it didn't matter how he preformed so long as he did his best. He noticed than anyone who needed help on a question _was_ helped and without the teacher making them feel stupid. It was refreshing. 

The bell rang and he left the classroom with Max to go and find the Garnet and the others where they had arranged to meet outside the cafeteria. They were all already waiting for them by the time they had found their way through the school: they'd been given a floor plan but it proved to be pretty much useless when Max was reading it. Joining the lunch queue and then paying for their food, they looked around hesitantly to find a place for them to sit.

"It's so…cliquey," Mariah commented as she looked at all the individual groups at the tables. "Who do we sit with?"

Walking slowly through the busy room, they spied a free table and decided to take that. However on the way there, they were cut off by a group of students who looked as if they were made up of jocks and cheerleaders.

"Oh, man," Garnet muttered. "I met that blonde one, Kitty, in my maths class. She's a total wannabe. We are _not_ sitting with her."

No one felt the need to argue this as Kitty smiled falsely at them. "You guys can sit here. This is where the _cool_ people eat lunch." She smiled all around at her friends who nodded in agreement.

Garnet looked unimpressed. "Where do Hilary, Kenny and Tyson sit?"

Kitty frowned in confusion as she wondered why she was being asked this. "Over there." She nodded to the table that was previously unoccupied. "Why?"

Smiling sweetly, Garnet said, "Because _that's_ where the cool people sit." She walked past, flicking her hair in Kitty's face as the blonde looked outraged at her offer being turned down.

"Bitch," She muttered under her breath.

Garnet felt no need to rise to the bait but instead smiled to herself. That would put the bimbo down a peg or two. Silly girl, thinking she was all that when there she was talking to people so much better than her: both socially and materialistically. Besides, Hilary was so much more interesting to hang out with. She'd choose her over any of her cheerleading friends any day, providing, of course, it didn't interfere with her social standing. And that was reasonable enough. It had taken hard work and dedication to get herself into the esteemed position of Queen Bee that she had and nothing on this earth was going to make her give it up.

"Hey, Hilary!" She said as she slid her tray consisting of a hotdog beside the brunette. "How's it going?"

"It's alright. How's your first day here?" She asked, eyeing the group of cheerleaders warily. They were casting her daggers for some reason or another. It was always like that, their jealousy being so evident. It was plain to see that they'd much rather have the Bladebreakers sitting with them than with the 'outcasts'. Didn't it occur to them that Tyson was on the team too? "What happened with Kitty?"

"Not much," Mariah said as she forked a leaf of lettuce into her mouth. "Garnet just put them in their place. I like your skirt." She added, looking at the knee length blue floral skirt which was decorated by pink and green sequins in the petals. "Muchos chick."

"Thanks," Hilary smiled as she smoothed the material over her legs for modesty's sake. "I got in that place…what's the one you go to Garnet? The one where they do all the vintage clothing?"

"'Benorma Boutique'." Garnet nodded in appreciation. "You're learning well, my young padawan. I see you've begun accentuating your better features." Digging Kai in the ribs, she added, "See how good a friend I am? I've took your girlfriend and made her into a new and better model." Kai merely grunted and took a bite out of his burger which Garnet took to be a form of silent praise.

Hilary blinked several times. "New and better?" She asked, trying to keep her voice from going ten decibels higher than normal, "What does that mean?" Keeping an unbothered smile on her face, she tried to pretend that she wasn't hurt.

The offender looked at Hilary for a few seconds before answering. "Well, I just mean that before, you were kinda _frumpy_ and, let's face it, _style-less_. I just, you know, _improved_ you a little bit. Don't get so worked up."

"I'm not getting worked up," Hilary said in a voice that was to calm and steady than her ordinary speech, "But, just for the record: One: 'style-less' isn't even a word. Two: I was _never_ frumpy. I was happy with the way I looked and three: I didn't _ask_ to be 'improved'."

Garnet laughed as if this was the best joke she'd ever heard. "Of course you didn't ask to be improved. You didn't realise you needed to. But I saw it. I saw your potential and acted accordingly. Haven't you noticed that now guys are looking at you in a different way? They stop to look at you when you walk past then in the street, don't they?" Hilary said nothing but looked down at her lunch. "See! Don't take it to heart, Hilary. I mean, just a few years ago I was in your shoes! But luckily, the head cheerleader of my school at that time, Tamara Bryce,"- she held a hand over her heart and bowed her head- "-the legend-, totally revamped my style-"

"And created a monster." Max concluded.

Glaring at him, Garnet continued with her story. "She totally revamped my style and now, I couldn't be happier. At first, of course, I was a little miffed at the insult but then I began to see her logic. If there's potential there, why waste it for fear of hurting their feelings?"

"Because it's not a nice thing to do?" Tyson ventured.

She rolled her eyes. "You don't get anywhere by being nice to people. _That's_ why you guys sit alone at lunch."

"Double whammy, G," Mariah said. "First insult Hilary then her friend's. You're on a roll!" She placed a consoling hand on Hilary's arm. "She means well but she just has a finds it hard to say it well. She does it to me all the time."

"And me." Tyson added.

"Exactly," She went on. "Don't take it to heart."

Hilary didn't say anything and continued to eat her lunch. There wasn't much conversation after Garnet proved that she possessed no tack whatsoever when she was speaking her mind about people. There was an unaccountable relief over everyone when the lunch bell sounded and they could escape from each other.

* * *

Tyson stood waiting for Kai to come out of school and looked at his watch impatiently. It had been at least a minute since they had all been dismissed. Didn't he know that he was starving? After what seemed like an eternity, he saw the familiar two toned hair that belonged to his banterless bunker: indeed, he only grunted in acknowledgment when he began to walk home with Tyson; providing one or two word laconic answers if he even decided to give an answer at all. Eventually, he gave up. Trying to talk to Kai when he was in a mood like this was like trying to teach Hilary how to beyblade: pointless and aggravating. He'd be better off trying to talk to Kitty. At least she would give him a wordy reply even if it was comprised of insults. Kenny and Hilary normally kept him company while he was walking home since they generally came home with him but today Kenny had had to help his mom and dad at their restaurant or bar or whatever it was they owned: he had been told to many times but he constantly forgot. And Hilary was going out with her parents to get new clothes for the upcoming summer holidays. That thought made him smile. It less than three weeks, they would be free for summer and the this summer there was a blading tournament that he would enter. He couldn't wait. 

Kai's arm swung out in front of him like a barrier as they passed the park where he often bladed when he was looking to get a little practice away from his teammates. He looked at Kai questioningly but Kai's intense gaze was attracted elsewhere. And then he saw what it as Kai was so fascinated by. Matt, Kai's little brother, was standing at the side of the dish watching two beyblades battle it out. It took him a few moments to register than one of these blades _actually_ belonged to him.

He rubbed the back of his head as he figured Matt was like Kai in more ways than appearance. "I didn't know he's a blader."

Kai's eyes narrowed. "Where do I know that blade from?" Tyson looked at the whirling mass of blackness and shrugged. It was almost impossible to distinguish a beyblade while it was in action. "I…feel drawn to it somehow."

The ominous blade knocked it's opponents from the dish, shattering it into thousands of tiny pieces. The boy who owned watched in devastation as his pride and joy was obliterated from his very eyes and looked up at Matt fearfully. Matt, however, didn't seem bothered at all by the fact that he was being so callous towards the boy and his possession. Instead, he smirked in a way that was uncannily and creepily like Kai's.

"That'll teach you to mess with me!" He proclaimed and walked past the now crying kid.

Kai felt a sudden rush of anger at the cruelness of his little brother and also at the familiarity of his actions towards his opponents. It was just like him not three months ago. "Matt!" He shouted. Matt turned round and narrowed his eyes before sprinting at tops speed out of the park. Kai grabbed Tyson roughly and began to run after him. "Come on!"

Fast his little brother ran as he tried desperately to get them of his tail. But every corner he took, his newly adapted sensed could hear them right behind him, one panting, the other mainly focussing on his target. Voltaire had warned him that Kai would be jealous when he realised Matt's power of blading and he couldn't afford to let his envy ruin his chances of being great. Especially if he discovered that he had been able to tame the wild Black Dranzer. He still had some way to go and if he was going to become greater than his elder brother he would have to become elusive, uncatchable, _unstoppable. _Then Kai would realise he wasn't as great as he thought he was because he, Matt, would overpower him and show him that he wasn't the weak little kid Kai's so convinced he is. He just needed to get away from him this one time and then he could get back to Boris and Voltaire for extra training. His parents had no idea that was where he was going all those nights he said he was with friends. It had made him laugh. Don't they know he doesn't have friends?

"Matt, stop!" Kai yelled at him but he couldn't care less. Kai could shout all day if he wanted. Nothing would make him stop. Not until he was back in the safety of his grandfather's guardianship.

An idea hit him. He took a sharp turn and headed in a roundabout way to the mall and when he got there, disappeared into the crowds: becoming instantly invisible.

Kai halted, inhaling deeply as he caught some much needed oxygen. There was no sign of Matt anywhere in through the mass of people. Damn, that kid was smart. Reluctantly, he turned back and headed to the spot where Tyson had collapsed, unable to run anymore. There was something up with Matt, he knew. Why else would he run like that? And since when had be become so merciless when he was in beybattles? He sighed. All these questions and no answers.

* * *

Please review!

jellybean-kitty


	18. Music for Girls To Fight To

Okay, this chapter isn't very good, though you may enjoy the Kai/Hil scene. It's kinda hard for me to get the sort of conecting events to the conclusion of this story, which, I might add, will happen in a few chapters. Maybe three or four.

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

Music for Girls To Fight To 

Tapping her pencil impatiently, Mariah just wished this period would end. For whatever reason, she'd been put in a biology class with absolutely no one she knew. Not even Tyson or Kenny was here so she was forced to sit on her lonesome since all other desks were either full or there sat people she didn't exactly want to be associated with. She was certainly not amused. Plus the teacher seemed to have an intense dislike of redheads, referring to her commonly as he took out a picture of an orang-utan to study its ecosystem. She swore, if he made one more comment about the resemblance of hair colour she was going to freak out. What was worse was that the class were all laughing openly at the 'jokes'. At her expense! What nerve! She did try to do her best imitation of a Kai glare but that didn't seem to work. He just began to compare their natures of aggression. All she could do now was wait until the bell had rung. Then she could bitch her feelings to her oh-so-caring friends who were probably having the time of their lives with each other.

* * *

"I hate this school!" Mariah proclaimed at lunch that afternoon, slamming her tray down in accentuation. "The teachers here _hate_ me." 

"They don't hate you," Hilary comforted her. "It's just what they do to test the water of new students so they can, you know, see how much they can get away with. Next time, they'll have moved on to some one else." Mariah just snorted and stabbed an innocent chip with her fork, muttering something inaudible. "So is anyone else having a bad day?" She looked around her group of friends who all seemed to be complacent, except the one who wasn't there. "Where's Kai?"

"He told me he would come get lunch later," Garnet replied. "He's probably up in music since that's what we had last. Or he might be on his way here and got lost. He seemed so distracted today, don't you guys think?"

"That's because his brother was acting so weird yesterday when we were going home. Kai saw him acting all evil and junk to his opponent and then when he saw Kai he ran away." Tyson explained. "He didn't saw much about it last night."

"I'm gonna go look for him." Hilary took another couple of bites off of her burger and excused herself from the table.

Leaving the hustle and bustle of the cafeteria, she felt a relief she never knew she wanted as she was greeted with the silence and emptiness of the corridors: the only noise that was there was the patter of her shoes every time they connected with the tiles on the floor. The school's music department was an area she was particularly familiar with since the only times she had ever been in music was in her first years in high school where the class was part of their curriculum until they made their own choices. For whatever reason she had never wanted to pursue her education in music even though she was quite talented at it. When she was younger, he mom had though it important that she learned some from of an instrument: she'd heard that music makes children more intelligent. However, she'd long since lost interest in it and stopped taken lessons in piano when her studies became more demanding. Occasionally, she would still play it whenever she felt compelled to but for the most part, her piano sat in the dining room out of everyone's way.

She paused as she passed the girl's bathroom. There would be no harm in checking her appearance, she decided and studied herself in the mirror inside, giving herself a few squirts of perfume, and extra coat of lipgloss –both courtesies of Garnet- and took a mint for good measure. Satisfied, she continued on her quest to find her boyfriend amidst the many halls and corridors of her school. It was strange, but she'd never really walked the corridors when they were empty and it was a slightly daunting feeling. Out of the hundreds of students in the school, she was the only one walking this corridor. She tried to put the images of horror movies from her mind as she continued on with her ever echoing footsteps being her one companion. Despite the warm summer weather the hairs on the back of neck stood up on end. Inwardly, she scolded herself from being such a child.

Pausing at the wooden double doors at the music department – suitably decorated with treble clefs, crotchets and quavers- she heard a solo piano melody waft from the doors with crescendos and diminuendos weaving through each other like waves. Frowning, she pushed the doors open and let the music guide her. Slowly, and unwittingly, her frown softened into a smile as she recognised the song that was playing. It was Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Who ever was playing was extremely talented, she decided, in the way that the broken chords danced around her, inviting her to join them in their waltz. She politely declined but allowed them to walk her to the room where the pianist played and stopped in surprise in the middle of the open door: she didn't know Kai could play so well. His slate hair had fallen over his eyes as he read the music, completely unaware of her presence; his only awareness being the music he was playing. Hilary could have stayed there forever listening but she decided that it was best she let her presence be known. She entered the room and shut the door behind her: not loud enough to disturb the music but loud enough for the musician to notice her. And notice her he did as he stopped abruptly and stood up.

"Oh, don't stop," Hilary pleaded. "It's beautiful." She took a few steps towards him. "Play something for me." Hardly looking at her, he sat back down and positioned his finger to start again, this time with a new song. "Pachabel's Canon. In D major, I might add." Hilary informed him proudly. She sat down on the stool beside him and began to play the countermelody as part of a duet. He looked at her in surprise. "I never told you I could play, did I? But you never told me you were this good!"

"….I have years off practise." Kai mumbled, not quite looking at her but not quite looking away either. "What's your excuse?"

"My mom made me." Hilary laughed. "Not that I refused. In fact, I loved it before I stopped."

"Why did you?"

"I lov_ed_ it. You know, as in I don't anymore."

Kai cocked an eyebrow. "You don't play as if you don't love it."

"Neither do you."

He stopped playing. "It's not that I like it, it's just that I'm…used to it. It was like a routine for me to play." He noticed Hilary stopped playing too. "It was Voltaire's idea, originally and at first I hated it but then I got real good." He slowly pressed on a few keys as he spoke. "So I got into habit of playing a lot because I enjoyed it. Of course, then that whole thing happened and I moved out so I haven't played in quite a long time." He shrugged. "I guess this is just me being reminiscent."

"There you are!" Garnet said loudly from the door, interrupting their conversation. "Geez, I've been looking all over for you. This place is a maze." She sat down on one of the chairs in the classroom and looked around her. "I can't say I admire the décor but at least they have _some_ instruments here."

"Our school doesn't even have a grand piano and this one does." Kai reasoned. "I wouldn't be so up your own ass."

Garnet rolled her eyes. "Well of course _you're_ not gong to be up your ass. You're _dating_ some one from one of these schools."

Kai and Hilary's eyes both darkened. "What's that supposed to mean?" They said simultaneously, both voices both showing that a nerve was hit.

Garnet smiled at their sudden irritation. "Will you guys just chill out. You know what I mean."

Hilary stood up, glaring at Garnet all the while. "Obviously I _don't_ know what you mean. Perhaps you'd like to expand? Or maybe I do. Maybe you mean that I'm not good enough for your precious Kai." Garnet made a 'phfft' sound which only succeeded in making Hilary angrier. "It's so true! You freaking invite me over to your house with the sole intention of completely changing what I look like by using your sneaky little intimidations methods since you know I'm not as confident as you in the way that I'm not in love with myself!"

Garnet stood up too, coming up to Hilary's nose. "_Excuse_ me. I did you a favour. Just how good is your research into Kai's love life because if you did your homework you'll discover that everyone he's dated it like me: superficial, egotistical and a sexy out of their minds. Do you know what kind of snide comments you would get behind your back if I didn't alter your image? I was looking out for you!"

"I don't need anyone to look out for me. I was happy being plain and simple Hilary, not this stranger that gets creepy guys trying to see up her skirt. Did you ever think about what I would have wanted or did you just not care. Or maybe, secretly, you wanted me not to accept your help. That way maybe in your little dream world where every one's in love with you, things would go awry with me and Kai and that way you'd have me out of the picture." Hilary sneered at Garnet's pursed lips. "That's it, isn't it? You're jealous of me because you don't want Kai to have something you don't have. That's why you constantly put the people around you down when they have a great relationship and you can't even hold on to one since you're so high maintenance. You lead them on and then let them smash back down onto the ground. Think about Ryan. Heck, I don't blame him for what he did to you, now I've got to know you better. You deserve it."

"Shut up!" Garnet hissed at her.

"Ha! I'm right. I know the little game you play. You just don't like other people being happier than you so you put them down. You do it to all your friends and to people who aren't, like me. And don't lie; you've never considered me anything to you other than your best friend's girlfriend who can just play a part in your twisted little game to feel good about yourself."

"Shut up, Hilary!" Garnet said even louder.

"Come on, Hils. Lay off a little." Kai said, taking her arm which was viscously snatched off him.

"Just whose side are you on, anyway? You just let her walk all over you and never even think about standing up to her. Well I'm tired of people making me feel like shit." Her sneered widened, marring her usual pretty face. "Look at you now. Where's your bitchy little comments. Aren't you gonna 'put me in my place' below you? I'm just trash in your eyes. Lower than you because I don't get whatever I want, I'm not spoiled and I don't go to a private school where you're brought up to look down on everyone. But that's just you. You're the perfect little snob who thinks everyone's there for her own entertainment and no one but yourself really matters. You're only there for people when it most conveniences you and if it doesn't, sayonara." She saw tears gather in Garnet's eyes and knew that she should probably let it rest but she just couldn't. She felt an immense power at knowing she had Garnet just ready to crush in the palm of her hand. Why give up an opportunity like that? "You're so pathetic, really. Well how does it feel knowing that you're little mind games are out in the open; that people have seen through the image of little miss perfect. How does it feel?"

"Just shut up!" Garnet screamed, slapping Hilary across the face in an almighty fury.

Hilary put a hand on her cheek in shock rather than pain. It felt hot compared to the coolness of the rest of her skin. That wasn't what she felt though. At the sight of Garnet's crying face, the perfect make up tinted with tears and black smudges. Her normally proud posture was hunched up and had sunk to the floor. Guilt settled in her conscience as she realised that she'd gone too far. She was no better than the other girl. She could just have left it and walked away but she chose to put _Garnet _down to make _her_ feel better. Desperately, she looked at Kai for help but he shot a disappointed look at her and ran to Garnet's side, instantly comforting her. The betrayal stung her like a wasp's sting.

"I'm sorry," She said and began to walk away but Garnet stopped her.

"You're right. You're so right. I do put other people down and I know that I'm doing it." She looked up at the girl's ruby eyes for help. "Am I a bad person?"

Hilary walked back and hugged her. "No, you're not. You're not a bad person. I think that you need to think before you say things so that you're more aware that you are seriously hurting people's feelings. No one likes being told what's wrong with and it's human nature to hate who ever tells you."

A noise that resembled laughter came from Garnet's throat. "A great lesson in philosophy from Hilary." She wiped her eyes and inspected the black lines on her fingertips. "Thanks, Hilary. I really needed that. I've been cruising for it for a long time."

"No problem," Hilary replied, helping her up. "What do you say we go to the bathroom and fix you up?" Together and like old friends, they walked out of the room leaving Kai to watch them in baffled amusement. He would never understand the way a girl's mind works.

* * *

Kai picked up Tyson's phone and took a deep breath before dialling the numbers he had began to dread. Another conversation with his parents could result in them finally telling when he was going 'home' to Russia and he was trying to postpone it as far as possible. In all truth, he still wasn't ready. He was quite happy to stay with Tyson. As much as he would never admit it, the bluenette had grown on him and he was beginning to get quite close to him even though he denied it. However, he had to know what was wrong with Matt and he'd have to do it tactfully. He didn't want to stick his little brother in it nor did he want to leave it be. 

"Hey. It's me." He rolled his eyes at how stupid that sounded to whoever it was on the other end: probably Rosanne since she always seemed to answer.

"Kai!" He was right. "How are you? What are you calling for?"

"Is Matt in? I wanted to talk to him."

"Oh no," Her voice seemed more apologetic than she actually was. "He's at his friend's. Again. That boy never seems to be home. And, to be honest, I think this friend's a bad influence on him. For the first time ever he got a note home from school two days ago about his behaviour and he's been cheeky and answering back to both me and your father. It's strange." Kai offered no comment. "What did you want him for?"

Carefully, Kai chose his words. "I thought I saw him at the park yesterday on my way to Tyson's and I was just wondering if it was him."

"Nope. Friends again."

Kai let this sink in. "I thought it wasn't." So Matt had been lying to his parents. Why, Kai wondered.

"Actually, Kai," Rosanne changed the tone of her voice, "I'm glad you called. I've been wanted to talk to you about Russia." Kai flinched. What were the chances? "I think that we're going to head back out in three weeks, so it's just a warning for you to be ready. It's only for the summer, anyway. How bad can that be?" Kai didn't want to tell her just how bad that could be. "Kai?"

"…I need to go." He lied. "See you."

He didn't wait for her to reply before hanging up the phone. Tyson was flicking through the T.V channels when Kai entered his room. He gave Kai a quizzical look since it was on a very rare occasion that Kai _ever_ visited it and even then it was only when he needed something. His ever cheerful friend said nothing but sat down on the end of the bed and looked at the T.V screen.

"What's up?" Tyson asked, reluctantly switching the television off.

"I'm going back to Russia in three weeks, apparently."

"And you don't want to." Tyson concluded, proud that he was finally understanding his comrade and captain a little better. "Just do what you normally do when you don't want to do something. Don't. And just for the record, if you choose to stay, you'll always be welcome here, buddy!"

Kai almost smiled at him. "Thanks." He left the bluenette in peace to continue to watch his much loved cartoons. All he wanted was a bit of clarification. The decision, he was sure, was already made. He just had to inform his parents of it

* * *

Please review! 

jellybean-kitty xx


	19. Kai's Downfall

Hey guys! I'm afraid that my updates are going to be a lot less quick now that I really need to concentrate on my school work and between that and going out, i'm finding I have less and less time to get my chapters written. I do promise that whenever I get a chance I will do a little!

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

Kai's Downfall

"So this is your last day here, huh?" Tyson asked Kai as they – including Kenny and Hilary- walked to Tokyo High on Friday morning. "Try not to miss us too much. I mean, you'll still see me at home and, well"- he waggled his eyebrows at this point- "we all know you'll be seeing Hilary." Kai looked at him witheringly and said nothing in return. "Ow!" He cried as he felt Hilary give him a swift kick to the shin. When he turned round to confront her she smiled at him innocently. Irked, he muttered to himself and kicked the various stones that were scattered on the pavement.

"Seriously, though," Hilary said, "do you think you'll miss this school or are you glad the whole experience is over?" It was such an innocent question that Kai had no idea whither there was some hidden meaning within it. He'd have to answer this one carefully.

"It's a good school but I do want to get back to Oakwood seeing as I know that place better. I think the only thing I'll miss is the people." A very safe answer, he thought.

This seemed to do her nicely as she smiled and nodded as if this was an acceptable answer to give.

Changing the subject, she asked, "Are we doing anything tonight? It is Friday, after all."

Kai smiled apologetically. "Sorry but I'm going to party. One of my friends from Oakwood has an empty all weekend so she's throwing a party." He smirked. "That should be interesting." Hilary tried not to show her disappointment that he wasn't asking her to go. Picking this up, he took her hand. "I'd ask you to go but it's kind of a reunion thing for the people who've been trading. You understand right?"

She smiled again and nodded. "So Tyson and Kenny. I guess it's just you and me tonight."

"Yep," Tyson agreed. "We can just do the same old same old. Movie, food, stay over. And my Grandpa's going out tonight so he's not coming back until tomorrow night some time. We'll have our own pah-tay!"

"Actually," Kai added, "Ray and Max aren't going either. It's 'not their scene'." He used air quotes to enhance the fact that was their words, not his. "I think the phoniness of all the people there just get to them.

Tyson grinned. "Well that's two more added on the 'we're not invited to any sucky parties; we are so cool club'." Hilary high-fived him and whooped. "Kai can be a loser tonight if he wants to. We all know who'll have more fun." He let Hilary and Kenny walk ahead and suddenly all humour was lost. He mutter to Kai, "Do me a favour and don't get too carried away tonight? I've said this before but my Grandpa's trusting my judgement that you're reliable so by all means have fun but just don't come home steaming, all right? I don't wanna have to answer to him when he's mad." He paused. "That and I don't want you endangering yourself coming home when your senses are all blurred and what not."

Kai's eyes widened in mock shock. "You know, people are so wrong. You can be responsible…though there's more chance of there being a blue moon."

Tyson chuckled in complete unawareness that amidst that statement lay an insult. Either he had selected hearing or was too thick to function. "Hey, thanks man." He beamed proudly as if he'd never received a better compliment from his captain – Kai swore that his face was going to crack under all the strain his grinning must cause it. Or cause muscle spasms.

* * *

"Oooo!" Garnet squealed. "I _so_ can't wait for tonight!" She turned to Kai and Tala. "Honestly, how good is it going to be? I mean, no parents, as much bo-" Kai kicked her under the lunch table and hinted at Tyson who was now close to frowning as he listened in, "-ooaardgames as we like. It's gonna rock tonight! Oh that reminds me. Tyson, can I come back to your place afterwards? My mom doesn't like it when I come home after these parties and been…having to good a time."

Sniggering, Tala explained, "She gets pissed when Garnet's been playing board games."

"Board games?" Mariah questioned, setting her tray down on the table as she joined in the conversation. "What about board games?"

"Tonight our choice of entertainment will be games of the board kind, apparently." Tala said whilst showing her a drinking motion to which Mariah immediately caught on.

"Oh yeah. Board games! I don't think I'll be playing that much tonight." She rolled her eyes. "If I get caught sneaking back in then the dorm master's won't be pretty happy if they discovered I've been on the…board games."

"I'm not stupid, you know." Tyson said, too calmly for his usual form of speech as he observed the Oakwood students trying to conceal grins – the girls doing a pretty sloppy job of it. "I'm not going to ask you not to drink, Kai. I know that's a pretty big deal for all those people who think it's cool and want to fit in but let it be on your conscience if _you_ get caught and I get into trouble." Kai couldn't help but look away from his hard stare that almost held him there like a magnet and, as much as he knew it was the wrong thing to do and the completely wrong moment, he smirked. "Fine." Tyson's voice turned cold as ice as he stood up. "I can see that you care." He stormed away, almost knocking Hilary and her lunch over in the process.

"What's up with him?" She asked, glaring into the bluenette's back as if she was trying to burn a hole into it.

All attention turned to Kai. "Beats me. He gets too worked up over things that aren't important."

Ray tutted and narrowed his eyes in disgust. "I know you can be a jerk, but please tell me this is accidental and that you do realise that you owe Tyson a lot, that you're being completely selfish and callous towards him especially when he's gone out of his way so much to make sure you have somewhere to live in Tokyo as opposed to having to move out to Russia with people who you hardly know yet have custody over you?"

"When you put it like that…." Kai met Ray's amber eyes that were alive with indignity. "I'll apologise." The Chinese teen nodded his approval.

"For what?" Hilary knotted her eyebrows as she still tried to fill in the gaps of the conversation she'd missed. "What did you do this time?"

"This time?" Kai questioned innocently. "Apparently I was being a jerk."

"Apparently?" Max guffawed.

Kai shrugged. "Everyone's entitled to their own opinion."

"But you're abusing the privilege." Ray added sternly.

"Oo," Garnet smiled devilishly. "I like that one. I need to use that next time I'm arguing with some one. Well done Ray." She held out her hand for a bemused Ray to shake and uttered another congratulation when they shook. "You did good kid. But on a serious note, Kai, will you please be careful that whatever you do tonight does _not_ get back to my Grandpa? You won't like him when he's mad. And would you really like for your presence in that house to be unwelcome? Surely even you can be put off when no one wants you around?"

"I got used to it with Voltaire…" Kai mumbled inaudibly.

"What?"

"Nothing. You're right. I'll be careful and behave." He left the table quickly without any word on where he was going.

"Why do I sense that he was being sarcastic?" Mariah frowned into her Diet Coke.

"Because he was." Garnet frowned also. "Idiot that he is. He's gonna get himself into even more trouble and I, for one, am not gong to be around to take the consequences. I've warned him, Tyson's warned him, my Grandpa's warned him." She was quite for a few minutes. "This is gonna sound horrible but I'm gonna guess that majority of the people here are thinking it." Several of them leaned in to hear what she had to say but Hilary squirmed a little in the uncomfortable knowledge that this was her boyfriend they were talking about. "I think that what Kai needs is a good boot up the arse to bring him back down to our level where he'll realize that he, as with everyone else, including myself, have a line to fall into and is not above the rules." Looking around her, Garnet felt a pang of relief as she noticed that everyone more or less was agreeing with her, except Hilary. That was understandable though.

"It's true," Kenny said. "I've noticed that Kai's become a bit more arrogant now that he'd living with Tyson since he seems to think that he's got control over Tyson, him being a much stronger and confident person and Tyson being so…easy going."

"I gotta admit," Mariah agreed, "Tyson's put up with a lot more crap from Kai than _any_ of us would. Kudos to him for it. But he had to realise that Kai's behaviour is _not_ acceptable and he should stop making acceptations and excuses. Kai's my cousin and I love him but…I don't know…"

"You wish he was a bit less full of himself?" Tala suggested.

"I wish he was more like the way he was when he was living with Voltaire." Mariah admitted and squeezed her eyes shut as she prepared to be taken away by demons. "I'm going to hell for saying that."

"How could you even think that?" Hilary almost screeched in outrage. "Would you rather Kai was miserable and withdrawn or happy and confident?"

"I don't mean to burst your bubble," Tala intervened before Garnet had a chance to jump down Hilary's throat. He could feel her heckles rising. "but Kai is not happy in the slightest. Maybe when he's with you he's got this form of appeasement where he feels he has to pretend that everything's fine but when he's with the people who've known him all his life we can see through that facade." He bit his lip. "I've suddenly got a bad feeling about tonight..." They others muttered their sullen agreements. "We're probably best pretending nothing's wrong, though, when we're faced with Kai."

Hilary's face turned sour enough to make milk turn. "So you'll bitch about him and then act like his friend to his face?"

"If that's what it takes." Tala's reply was short and simple. And a little uncaring, Hilary felt. "We'll see what happens."

* * *

Out of the corner of her eye, Mariah watched Tala and Garnet make out in the corner of the large common room in Yoko's – the hostess- large house and felt a twang of loneliness since her boyfriend had decided to give this party- and many others- a miss. It was nice, she had to admit, that Tala and Garnet ended up together. They'd always been friends but they're never been as close as, for instance, her and Kai or Garnet and Kai. She really thought that this could work, this whole dating within friends thing. And if it didn't, what did that matter so long as they remained friends? They seemed to right for each other she couldn't believe that she hadn't noticed it before, or before Kai anyway. Complimenting each other in every possible way, they just seemed to fit. 

Out of the corner of her other eye, she paid even closer attention to Kai who was now talking, a little too friendly for her liking, to a girl in the year above him. In his hand she could see yet another plastic cup filled with some sort of clear fluid within it: probably some sort of vodka concoction. Wrinkling her nose in distaste at her cousin's antics, she decided to pull him out of the meaningful conversation it looked like he was having with the blonde. Not too late either as it seemed they were both up to doing more than just talking, judging by where Kai's eyes were firmly fixed- Mariah noticed it certainly wasn't at her eyes or anywhere above her neck for that matter. As she grabbed his hand firmly to lead him away, the girl protested but was quickly silenced by a glare that even Mariah didn't know she had in her.

"Are you insane?" Mariah hissed as she dragged him out into he backyard and onto a pale coloured patio that was only lit by a few garden lights and the lunar illumination of the moon. "Don't you realise that you _have_ a girlfriend? What would happen if she found out that you cheated on her with…" -she sneaked a peek at the blonde who was now entertaining another member of the male species- "…a bimbo?"

Kai smirked, though it was almost a lopsided smile. "Relax. Have something to drink. I'll go get you one." Before she could stop him, he left her and came back a few minutes later with a refill on his and something fruity looking for her. She took it without saying thanks.

"I'm not going to drink this. I don't fancy looking like a fool because I've had to much alcohol to function properly. Look at you! You can't even sand still without wobbling about." Kai looked down but couldn't see any difference. "Why don't I take you home?" She pleaded. "You can have a nice night in with Hilary."

"Nah, I don't think I will."

Mariah sighed softly and put her cup down onto the ground. "Well I'm going home. Alone?" She prompted.

"Okay well I'll see you later." Kai returned to the house and into the kitchen to converse with some other guests.

Shaking her head, not just in annoyance but also defeat, she retreated back to the common room and lightly tapped a seated Tala on the shoulder: opposite the one Garnet's head had been lying on. "Tal, I'm gonna head off now. But can you watch Kai? Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

"Sure," Garnet sat up and looked at Tala as if she was expecting something. "Do you want me to walk you home?"

Mariah declined his offer. "I'll be okay. I'm gonna call for a cab anyway. You two take care though. Don't overdo it."

"We won't," Garnet assured. "I'll be heading off soon anyway. I'll call you tomorrow."

Hugging each of her friends in turn, she let herself out of the house, stealing one last concerned look at Kai before leaving the house completely and the problems that would arise within it. She hailed for a taxi and then was driven back to her dorm.

* * *

"Hey guys," Garnet called softly as she entered the Tyson's house, not sure if they would be asleep or wide awake. It was only about one o'clock so she assumed that everyone would still be up or even still inside the house. As she suspected, the inhabitants were still up and watching television. 

"Where's Kai?" Tyson immediately demanded, frowning into her eyes. She felt a wave of guilt but forced a smile as if it would shield her true feelings.

"He and Tala decided to stay longer. I'm sure he won't be long." Unwillingly, she checked her mobile phone which was in the pocket of her skinny fit jeans to see if he'd sent her a message explaining why they hadn't left. Tala had insisted that he walk her home or at least get in the taxi with her but she had also insisted that he stay and make sure Kai got home alright. As usual, she had won and Tala didn't seem to happy about it. He'd guaranteed that he'd bring Kai home shortly after she left. It'd just take some effort to pry him away from where he believed he was having 'fun'. Trying not to catch Hilary's worried eye, she found it easier to look at her feet. "Trust me."

* * *

"Shhh!" Tyson heard a two girls giggling outside of his house and also a more masculine laugh as his female companions tried to get him to be quiet. "You'll wake up the entire street!" There was an inaudible noise made by the other girl who seemed a lot less relaxed than her friend. Then came a timid tap on the door which Tyson had already been walking towards anyway. "Hey!" A brown haired girl greeted Tyson. "Umm, we were told to bring Kai home by Tala so here he is." She giggled once again as Kai muttered something in her ear and smile another lopsided grin. 

"Kyoto?" Garnet questioned as she appeared behind Tyson. "Why didn't Tala bring him home himself, like, half an hour ago?"

"He had some difficulty getting Kai away so in the end he gave up and left it to us." She explained. "He even gave us money to get a cab." She held out her hand to show Garnet change from what looked like it must have been from twenty yen.

"How generous." Garnet said and reached out for Kai. "Get in here now."

"See you later!" Kai called after the girls. He stopped abruptly with an odd expression on his face. He pushed Tyson and Garnet away and ran to the bathroom where they heard the sound of him throwing up. Once. Twice.

Risking a glance at Tyson, Garnet swore she had never seen his so visibly mad in her entire life. His fists were clench and he was shaking with a rage that had obviously been boiling up inside of him for some time. He didn't, as she expected, explode in an eruption of anger but he kept his voice even and calm even when she sensed he wanted to hurt Kai. Badly.

"Are you alright?" Tyson asked, trying not to glance at the vomit that was splayed on the floor of his normally immaculate toilet. He felt a strange and oddly triumphant feeling as he helped Kai to stand on his two shaky legs from where he's originally been lying on top of the toilet, his arms wrapped around it for dear life. The normal strong and newly adopted cocky attitude had now become weak, vulnerable and humble as he muttered apologies. Tyson had the feeling that he was only doing since his brain couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Jesus, what happened?" Ray observed the scene in a state of confused surprise. The surprise turned to anger. "God, Kai. Could you be any more selfish?" He roughly grabbed his arm to help Tyson carry him up the stairs and into his room where he seemed to drift between consciousness. He started to retch and Ray had snatched his empty bin just in time to catch another stream of sick. "What do we do now?"

"He could easily choke if he's sick again." Tyson commented. "I think we're going to have to sit up with him all night to make sure he doesn't."

"Smart plan." Ray agreed.

"Although at this point I can't say I care too much if he doesn't make it through the night. It'll be easier than what'll come tomorrow. Let's just hope he's ready to face the consequences.

* * *

Please review!

jellybean-kitty


	20. The Morning After

This chapter isn't my best, is all I'll say!

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

The Morning After 

A sharp pain woke Kai with a jolt the next morning. He sat in and immediately regretted it as he felt his head implode. Glancing at the mirror he saw he looked dead. His face was pale and his hair looked as though it'd a fight with a light bulb and lost. His nose wrinkled as he smelt the distinctive and vile smell of vomit in the air and looked down the side of his bed and recoiled in disgust as he saw the creator of the stink was a basin that had the remnants of someone's sick in it.

"If you're disgusted think how the rest of us feel." Max, who had been sitting by the door said. Kai noticed that under his eyes he had massive bags as if he hadn't slept all night. His voice also told him that: the cheeriness was gone and had been replaced with a cold tone of clamed anger. "We've all had to take it in turns to stay up with you to make sure the next time you were sick you didn't choke on it. But let me tell you that most people would have preferred you did right now." He stood up. "Me being one of them."

Kai watched the blonde boy leave his room, banging the door loudly behind him causing Kai to recoil at the sudden burst of noise. A grumbling sound came from his stomach demanding that it be fed. The feeling was familiar. He knew if he didn't eat soon he would feel even worse than he did now: both in mind and in body. Reluctantly, he got out of his bed and realised, with some embarrassment, that some one had taken his clothes off last night and he was now only in his boxers. He had a strange hope that it had been Garnet who had gone to the trouble over any of the boys or even Hilary. Reaching into his drawer, he grabbed a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and put them on, spraying himself with deodorant first of all to destroy any bad smells that he was more or less certain would be radiating from him. Wryly he wondered just how attractive he was now. Before he left the room, he took another peek at the basin and then decided to take the liberty of emptying it himself. Carefully, he picked up it and kept it as still as possible so none of the contents spilled over the side and took it across the hallway into the bathroom and emptied it down into the toilet bowl. A single flush got rid of the vile stench and stomach churning contents.

Relieved that he could breathe freely again, he went downstairs and into the kitchen. As he went past the toilet on the lower floor he picked out the smell of disinfectant and vaguely recalled Tyson saying something about 'cleaning up Kai's mess.' He sighed as he realised that he'd been cleaning up his mess in the middle of the night. Indeed, he noticed Tyson, as with everyone else, looked as if they'd not slept a wink and from most of their murderous glares he supposed he was the culprit behind the reason why. Not looking any of them in the eye, he sat down next to Kenny.

The sound of Tyson's blender caused him to shout out loud and cover his ears with his hands in a vain attempted to stop his head from ringing. "That's for keeping me up all night." Garnet snapped and switched off the blender in a vengeful manner.

She then left the kitchen followed by everyone else bar Tyson. Instead, he took the seat across from him and pushed two tablets or paracetamol towards him and a glass of water. Kai took them both gratefully. They say in silence for a few minutes while Tyson refilled Kai's glass again and put some bread in the toaster for Kai's breakfast. He knew Kai too well to know that he wouldn't eat anything else anyway.

Eventually, Kai heard him take a deep breath in and hold it for a few seconds before releasing it. "I don't think you should stay here anymore, Kai."

The words hit him like a bullet. He had expected some sort of lecture but not that.

"You've got completely no regard for me, my house or my grandpa. You don't even have enough decency for your friends to come home safely." Tyson tried his best not to sound hurt but he knew it was probably a failed attempt. "We had to stay up all night just to make sure you didn't die. Can you imagine? The great Kai dies of alcohol abuse." The toast popped out of the toaster and Tyson stopped talking while he went to butter it lightly; just the way he knew Kai liked it. He put it on a plate and pushed it towards him. "It's gone too far now. It's not fair on me. I can't keep cleaning up your mess because you're too selfish to do something as simple as keep yourself sober or come in on time or even call some one to let them know you're safe. For God's sake Kai! You've not long turned sixteen years old! You're practically an adult."

"Where would I go?" Kai asked quietly and instantly regretted how vulnerable he sounded.

Tyson shrugged. "It's not my problem. Ask Garnet if you can stay with her or, hell, here's an idea, go to Russia with your _real_ family."

Kai's head shot up and for the first time he was able to look Tyson straight in the eyes. "They are _not_ my real family. My real family are Tala, Garnet and Mariah no matter what anyone says. They're the only people who have consistently been in my life and they were the only people I even wanted to be in my life."

"Were?" Tyson questioned.

"It's different now. Was different." He sighed. "Now there's Hilary, Max, Tyson even Kenny. And I also thought you." Standing up, he pushed the uneaten toast back towards Tyson and ignored the protests his stomach was making. "But I guess I was wrong. No one who was your family, friend whatever would throw you out because you made a mistake."

Tyson was silent and kept staring hard at Kai so he felt as if he couldn't move, as much as he wanted to. "I never figured you'd be the one to try and make me feel guilty. I thought it'd come from some one else. You've changed."

Kai laughed with no humour whatsoever. "_I _never thought you'd be the first person to notice." He stopped by the door. "And I'm not trying to make you feel guilty. If I were in your position I'd be doing to the same thing. In fact, to let it go on as long as you have takes some kindness and God knows I needed that so thank you. I'll go pack."

"Oh for God's sake Kai," Tyson chased him out into the hallway, almost knocking over several guilty looking bystanders who had been conveniently kneeling at the door. "You know I'm not being serious. You can always stay here!" He launched himself at Kai and wrapped his arms around his waste. "Come here buddy!"

Kai wriggled out of his grip and glared at him. "Why would you do that? That is not cool."

He grinned. "Now you know never to do it again, right?" Kai nodded meekly. "And by the way," He continued, wrinkling his nose, "you need a shower."

Despite the situation, Kai felt himself laugh out loud: more so out of relief than humour. Although he didn't like to admit it, he was relying on Tyson a lot more than he liked to rely on him, or anyone for that matter. It had hit home the empty threat. If Tyson did decide to ask him to leave then he would be stuck for places to go. He could, as planned, go to Russia and leave everything in Tokyo behind or perhaps stay at Garnet's though he knew her parent's wouldn't be too thrilled with this. As much as they did like him they had never been quite as relaxed with him after the Russian incident. They would also never say no to their little princess. Still his feelings about that situation were the same as they were all those weeks ago when he had first considered it. Would he really want to stay some one where his presence wasn't wanted? No, he wouldn't. Would he want to move away from Tokyo? No he wouldn't. He was therefore relying on Tyson to keep his door open for him. And it wasn't a feeling he best liked.

He reflected on this as he let the warm spray of the shower rain down upon him and cleanse away the memory and regrets from the previous night. He had a lot of them. They came in flashbacks, scattered recollections as a result of over alcohol consumption. There was a brief interlude, he recalled, as Mariah pulled him away from a girl with blonde hair which he had been too close to. His stomach churned and not from a lack of food. Had be done anything except talk? He hoped to God that he hadn't. Would Hilary forgive if he did? Surely he would remember such a thing, anyway? He sighed. He knew there were no guarantees. Had Hilary also seen him last night in the state that he had been in? Regretfully he knew he would have to face the truth. Obviously she would have seen him. Or at least heard him. He'd caused such a commotion when he'd come in and unceremoniously thrown up all over Tyson's now bleached bathroom. He slammed his fists against the shower wall in a bid to get rid of the regret he was now feeling. It was a feeling he had come to be so familiar with these past couple of months: regret, hate, anger, dread; one right after the other. It was a vicious cycle.

"Kai?" He heard Hilary call from outside of the bathroom whilst knocking on the door lightly. "Are you almost done?"

"Almost," He washed off the remains of the shower gel from his skin and watched almost in a trance as the remnants swirled around the drain before being sucked into the blackness. "What's wrong?"

She was silent for a few seconds. "I want to talk to you."

He considered taking a little longer. Maybe wash his hair again. However, there was no point in delaying the inevitable. It wasn't necessarily something bad but he knew it was more likely. With everyone else mad at him it sucked that his girlfriend would be too. He switched off the shower and stepped out, wrapping a towel around his waist to conceal his nether regions.

Hilary felt a waft of warm air and steam hit her as Kai opened to bathroom door to let her in. At first she felt like mentioning she meant when he was fully clothed but one look at the water splattered torso he was exposing to her made her change her mind. Quickly. She took at seat on the edge of the bathtub and waited patiently while Kai rubbed another towel into his hair to remove most of the moisture. He then draped the towel over his shoulders and leaned against the wall and gestured for her to start. Nothing was said. Instead, she stood up and walked over to him until she was square facing him. Then she slapped him full force across his cheek. His hand instinctively flew up to his cheek where he could feel the heat emitting from the force of the blow. Hilary's face was set hard against his puzzled one. Her bottom lip was quivering slightly and her brows her knitted together in a fashion that he never expected to see on her.

For a few seconds they faced each other eye to eye without saying anything. Tact told Kai that he should remain silent anyway until Hilary felt the time was right to break it, if she did at all. "You deserve worse." She said.

"…I won't let it happen again…"

"Will you really?" She sighed and retreated back to the bathtub where she leaned against it. "Or do you just wanna get out of this situation as quickly as you can so you can go and make the same mistakes again?"

He crossed the small room and kneeled in front of her, placing his hand on her arm. "I mean it." He tried to wrap his arms around her body but she protested, pushing him out of the way until eventually she caved in and flung herself onto him, her back rising and falling as she sobbed quietly into him. "Shh." He tried to comfort her. "It's be okay."

"No it isn't, Kai." She cried. "I was so worried. We all were. How could you be so selfish? How could you to that to us? To me?"

He held her tighter. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you all."

"It's not the kind of thing that happens to you." She said it more as if she was talking to herself and the person who was holding her was a mere hallucination. "Not to Kai Hiwatari. You're not supposed to be like that. You're supposed to be sensible and strong."

"Strong, huh?" He raised a menacing eyebrow at her and scooped her up into his arms.

"Put me down!" She kicked and slammed her fists half heartedly into his back as he carried her bridal style into his room. "Put me down or else!"

Kai smirked. "Or else what?" She reached down his back and undid the knot that was keeping the towel around his waist from slipping. She laughed aloud as Kai struggled to both carry her and to prevent himself from flashing any inappropriate body parts. It was a battle that couldn't be won. Hilary found herself being thrown onto the bed with all the grace of cat in water as Kai desperately wrapped the towel back around his waste.

"That was a cheap shot," he scolded. The he smirked. "I didn't think you were so desperate to see me naked."

"Trust me," She said aloofly, "there're millions more things I'd take pleasure in."

"Is that a fact?" He gathered up some clothes. "I'm going to get dressed. You can come with me if you like..." He ducked out of the room just in time to avoid a flying pillow which had been launched directly at his head. He had to admit Hilary had good aim. He went back into the bathroom and pulled on underwear and the clothes he had worn the morning plus a little sprits of cologne: more so for Hilary's benefit. Satisfied with his appearance, he went back to his room where Hilary had sprawled herself out on the bed and was busy scrolling through his phone but on what menu he wasn't sure. It didn't bother him. He had nothing to hide. "What are you looking at?"

She tilted her head slightly in acknowledgment. "Your pictures. There's not many of you on here." He watched as she clicked through uncountable images of Tala, Mariah, Garnet, some other people, some other things but there was only the odd one of him and only then some one was always with him. "There's more of Tyson on here than you!"

He shrugged. "I never take pictures. Other people do. And I never pose for them."

"Oh," She said dismissively. "That's your prerogative, I guess." She handed him it back and crawled off the bed. "Let's go downstairs and get something to eat. You must be starving."

Kai remembered that he still hadn't eaten anything since, technically, last night. "Alright."

* * *

Meh. Please review!

jellybean-kitty


	21. Sibling Rivalry

Hey all! I want to apologise at how long this took to post but for teh past two weeks I've been banned from the internet becuase I was fighting with my big brother over it. I have to say it was ENTIRELY his fault. As soon as I could, I finished this chapter off. The next chapter is the climax which means the next chapter (s) after that one will be the conclusion!

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

Sibling Rivalry

Kai's eyes almost would have bulged form their sockets if it weren't for his amazing gift of self control for his emotions. Instead, he took a short breath inwards and looked at Garnet stonily.

"What did you say?"

The almost angry tone in his voice made her rethink her request but her mother had always told her that you never get anywhere in life by being Miss. Sensitive all the time. She held her head up confidently but gravely. "Mariah and I have been discussing that fact that most of our valued possessions are still in your house and I, for one, would kinda like to have my things back."

Kai narrowed his eyes and looked around him. Everyone else was sitting outside of Tyson's dojo waiting to go to the mall or something: if they ever could decide on where to go. Garnet had asked Kai if she could talk to him for a few minutes and he, knowing that after the previous night he was basically at everyone's mercy, had complied. Now he regretted it. There were things he could be asked to do and not like and there were things that should just not be asked of him at all. This fell into the latter category.

"One: it's not my house, its Voltaire's. Two: forget it." He tried to walk past her but she grabbed hold of his arm pleadingly.

"Come _on_ Kai!" She whined. "You'll be in and out in, like, literally five seconds. All I want it to take my stuff back." He pulled his arm away from her but she grabbed it again tighter. "_Pleeease? _You owe me and besides we'll all be right there with you. What can he do then? And how do you know he's even back in the country?"

"Hurry up you guys!" Tyson shouted from outside. "Tala and Mariah are here already."

Garnet looked at him desperately and tears began to well up in her eyes. "How often do I ever ask you for anything?"

He raised a solitary eyebrow. "Do you want me to make a list?"

"I mean anything big. God I knew you'd be too scared to go." She rolled her eyes and muttered in a tone just audible so he could catch every word.

Kai frowned at her but slumped his shoulders in a visible forfeit. "Alright then. But I'm spending ten minutes max in there and if we haven't got everything then we're leaving it behind, got it?"

"Oh, Kai!" She hugged him tightly. "You're the best! Guys!" She ran outside with Kai at her back. "We're going to Kai's old house."

There was an immediate uproar from everyone gathered and there was a mixed range of reactions ranging from cries of protest on Kai's behalf, masses of knitted eyebrows and looks of distressing concern. Kai had to admit that every one of those reactions were exactly what he wanted to perceive. Did he want to go back there? Hell no. He'd even rather go to Russia with his parents than spend even two seconds in the presence of his grandfather. However, he knew that he couldn't very well go back on his word especially since, in actual fact, Garnet _did_ hardly ask for anything big from him and over the course of the past few months she'd gone out of her way, dangerously, more than once on his behalf. If wasn't just from last night he owed her from and she very well knew that but she too good a friend to ever relate anything back the 'Russia Incident', as it had been now fondly dubbed.

"Garnet," Mariah looked angry at her friend. Furious, in fact. "You didn't actually ask him, did you?" She nodded proudly. "How could you?!" Mariah placed a hand on Kai's arm lightly. "You don't have to go if you don't want to. We won't make you or think any less of you."

"This is the only way I can ever really put this behind me." He sighed and walked out of Tyson's dojo leaving his friends to exchanged worried glances.

Ray chased after him. "There're other ways to put your past away."

"We're going." Kai's hard gaze made him take a couple of steps back in defeat. There was no changing anyone's mind when they were that determined.

Leaving everyone a few steps behind him – even Hilary- he continued on the path he had been so familiar with not so many years, months ago. He let his mind shut off: his feet knew the way. In all honesty, though he'd never told anyone and no one knew, this wasn't the first time he'd walked these streets since Russia. No. When he'd first came back to Tokyo from boarding school he'd been walking around aimlessly and the next thing he knew he was in front of his former home. Then it had seemed strange to know that he could never walk the halls as an occupant again and, though it made him annoyed with himself, he'd found himself having pangings for his room, his house and, worst of all, even his grandfather. Aggravated to no end, he had found that whenever he didn't concentrate on where he was going he inevitably ended up in front of those metal gates like a little boy lost. It was different now, of course. Since moving in with Tyson he'd found little by little that he had a new home to belong to and new people he belonged with. Well, some new people.

From behind him he could hear some nervous chatter but didn't bother to train his ears onto what they were saying. What did it matter anyway? He couldn't very well back down now. What would he say? Sorry guys but I just remembered something, maybe some other time. I'll take a rain check. Somehow he knew that it wouldn't go down well with, well, himself more than them. Business had to be dealt with, not left unfinished and the ghosts of the past have to exorcised once and for all. They _would_ be exorcised. There was no way he was going to let his past mistakes keep haunting him for the rest of his life. As sure as east is east and west is west he had to put his ghosts to rest.

It didn't take him long before he was rethinking this whole idea entirely. As soon as he stopped outside the black – freshly painted, it looked – gates that were erected atop the stone wall surrounding the Hiwatari mansion he was seriously considering retreating with his tail between his legs like a scared little puppy dog. He felt a comforting hand on his shoulder and tilted his head to face Hilary's. Her eyes shone with uncertainty at the whole situation. That would be expected. She hadn't been in Russia nor had she been around Kai when he was still living with Voltaire. This whole thing was new to her and she seemed as tentative as a fawn making taking its first steps.

Without turning round he addressed his troupe of friends. "No one has to go in with me if they don't want to. I'll understand."

"We wouldn't do that to you," Tyson said though he wasn't exactly jumping for joy. "Besides there's safety in numbers." His eyes swerved upwards to the looming building that look strangely welcoming in broad daylight. He wondered if it was as pleasant at night.

"Okay then." Kai said.

* * *

It was just how he'd remembered it. It looked just how he remembered it. It had the same furnished smell that he remembered. Oddly, he felt a sense of homecoming just placing his feet on the wooden floorboards again and then onto the Oriental rug that led from the front doorway to the split stairway. Even on the walls around him were the same portraits, immaculately dust free. He had known the door would be open. It never was locked. There was no need with the staff any intruder had to go past just to enter. Most of them looked at him with bold astonishment and avoided his eyes guiltily. No one dared question his return for they knew it would only be brief. They knew Kai wasn't stupid enough to linger any longer than necessary. 

"Check out the room service," Max muttered nervously.

Kai paid him no attention.

"We're not going to be long, are we?" Hilary asked looking around at the staring faces. "All these people are kinda making me nervous. They're just watching us."

"I imagine they're under strict orders not to converse with me if I ever was to come home." Kai told her. "Voltaire's nice like that."

He led then up the large flight of stairs - which complained in creaks and groans about the about of feet travelling on them- and along another hallway until they reached his old room. His hand shook slightly as he reached for the door handle that had been tarnished slightly from all the years usage and he slowly opened it. It swung open freely as if it was happy for its once companion to be joining it again. On the first step the floorboards creaking its greeting, just like it used to do whenever he set foot within its walls. One by one, he was joined by his friends who, surprisingly, made no comments about either the room or the items within it. Kai didn't know exactly what he was expecting but he would have felt better if they'd had said _something._ Eventually, after a few seconds of complete silence, Garnet broke it.

"He hasn't changed _anything_." She walked around the perimeter, picking up things and then placing them back down exactly where she found them. She came to Kai's pinboard and gently took the dominating picture from it. She hadn't seen this photograph in so long. She held it up to Kai. "Even this is still up."

He took it from her and smiled sadly. "Do remember this? Last summer?"

She smiled, not as sadly. "Yeah. That was the first time I ever felt like I truly belonged with you guys. The summer was great. So many good memories…"

"Speaking of good memories," Tala interrupted, "Shouldn't we what you want and then get the hell out of here before Mr. Pleasant arrives?" He looked out of Kai's window with an indescribable look on his face: neither calm nor panicked. "I certainly don't want to be here when Voltaire finds you've been back and didn't stay for dinner."

Garnet grabbed the bag that was hanging on Kai's bed post claming it for her own: though she'd already claimed it when she'd bought it four months ago. Quickly, she began going through Kai's separate drawer for her and Mariah claiming they could sort it out later. Kai also took another bag – his own- and shoved some of his clothes, personal items and things he just wanted to keep into it. Lastly, he took the photograph and placed it in the inside cover of a random hardback book so it wouldn't bend.

"Don't you think its kinda weird that _nothing_ is different?" Mariah asked quietly. "But it doesn't look as if the room's been left to fester." She wiped a finger along the surface of his television and held it up. "No dust."

Kai suppressed a shiver in the warm sunlight. "Let's just leave it. I don't know what goes on in that man's mind. And I don't think I want to." He noticed Hilary studying his old room in deep fascination. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…" Her voice trailed off as she looked at his many posters littering the bedroom walls. "I never thought your bedroom would be like this, that's all." He raised an eyebrow at her inquisitively. "I just always imagined your room to be all plain and boring, you know? Like, not much personal stuff in it. And here we are with sentimental photos of you guys pinned up."

"Yeah well…" He shrugged. "I do."

"So this is your room then?" Max let out a long and low whistle. "It so doesn't reflect _your_ personality."

Kai half heartedly glared at him. "Take a good look at it because we're going and I'm not counting on ever having to come back in here again." Without taking even one last glance at what used to be his sanctuary, Kai left. Truthfully it held too painful and bitter memories that were all coming back to him at a speed he didn't care toe remember them at. Some things were just better left in the past: this entire house, his entire childhood, to name but a few. There was a clatter of reluctant feet filing out and he heard some one close the door behind them all and on his past.

Not wasting a second, he calmly walked down the stairs and reached the front door when he heard a familiar sound. A beyblade had been launched somewhere in the house. Frowning, he looked behind him but there was no sign of any action within the house. Even the staff were out of sight. Shrugging it off as his mind playing tricks, he reached for the iron door handle and pushed down.

But he heard it again.

This time he turned around and faced in the direction it came from. The curiosity building up inside of him was too much to wrestle. He wanted, _had_, to know who it was that was blading, who it was that had replaced him.

"It's not worth it man." Tyson warned. "It'll be more trouble than what its worth."

Ray nodded. "I agree. Let's just go."

Something inside of him told him to listen. Something inside of him told him to leave now and shut the door forever on any life he ever had with Voltaire. But that something inside of him had also got him into this situation in the first place. The bag he was holding dropped to his side and he fished in his pocket for his old trusty Dranzer. It was no coincidence that he'd brought his blade with him.

"I have to know." He said and left them all standing there in the middle of his entrance foyer, torn between running to safety or following their friend to whatever mess he was going to get himself into with the hopes that they could get him out.

Garnet dropped her bag on the ground too and chased after him. "Come on you guys! We're in this together!"

Mariah and Tala rolled their eyes at each other at Garnet's Disney attitude to life but followed none the less with the rest of the group at their tails. The sound of umpteen footfalls echoed through the corridors until they all stopped abruptly where Kai was staring at a set of double doors made of mahogany wood. His hand was already on the tarnished handle and was slowly twisting. In a sudden surge of courage, he pushed the doors open full force and his breath caught in his throat. In the centre of the room, which he remembered to be empty, was a beydish and in the centre of the beydish was a familiar beyblade and in the centre of the beyblade was an even more familiar bitchip. At a first glance, Kai could have sworn that it was he – though much younger – that was wielding the dark but beautiful phoenix. At a second glance, he saw that it wasn't him at all, he wasn't going delusional. It was something much worse. His brother had somehow gotten himself mixed up with Voltaire. The very thought of it made his stomach churn. This had been the 'friend' Matt had been seeing so much of. Voltaire. The man himself was standing behind Matt like some paternal coach with a look of humour in his crooked smile. He was every inch as Kai remembered: he hadn't changed a bit.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Kai demanded angrily. His eyes narrowed to slits at Voltaire. "What are you doing with _him_?"

Volatire tutted and put a hand on Matt's shoulder. "There he goes again. Trying to tell you that he's right and you're wrong." He knelt down to the boy's height and looked slyly at Kai. "Are you going to let him do that? Or are you going to put him in his place?"

Matt's smirk was uncannily an imitation of Kai's, though it was an expression the latter was not using at that instant. Wordlessly he collected his blade from the dish and inserted it into his launcher. Kai's had twitched to do the same but that would have to be a last resort. It _had_ to be.

"You don't want to do this, Matt." He said softly. "Don't let him control you."

"And let you control me instead?" Matt countered as quick as a snake though his voice held more venom. He glared at Kai with eyes full of hate which clashed with the almost affection Kai held for him. Brotherly love.

"I don't want to control you. I don't want to tell you what to do. But that man does. Don't be fooled. He took you in with promises of glory, freedom, power, didn't he?" Matt made the slightest indication of a nod and Kai saw a flicker of uncertainty. "Don't trust him. I made that mistake and look at where it got me now. Don't make the same mistake as me." Unsure at where he was getting, he smiled softly. "Let's just go and forget all this. Go back home?"

Voltaire sighed. "You've gotten soft. Or is it that you're scared of the challenge?"

"I'm not scared."

"Ah…" Voltaire leaned into Matt's ear. "Then he must want to oppress your strength for fear that it will outdo his."

Kai rolled his eyes. "He's ten years old. How could he possibly be stronger than me? You're intelligent, Matt. Use your logic."

Matt's glare turned darker. "My logic says that age wouldn't come into account. It would depend on the person's physique and their ability."

"He's right!" Kenny piped up from behind.

"And there's nothing better to prove your theories than to test them, isn't that right Kai." The taunting malice in his voice didn't suit some one so young. He raised his launcher to eye level. "Prove me wrong, _Kai_."

Without wasting a moment for hesitation, Kai removed Dranzer from his pocket and set up his blade. If there was a way to get through to Matt it was to teach him a lesson in beyblading. It _had_ been a while since he'd last bladed, he knew. Kai hoped to God that he wasn't rusty.

"Are you sure about this?" Hilary asked him. It was the first time she'd said anything since they discovered Matt. "Things might get a little ugly if you're not careful."

Kai smirked reassuringly at her.

"3…2...1…Let it rip!" They both cried simultaneously and the two blades clashed on contact. The match had begun.

* * *

Please review!

jellybean-kitty


	22. Hurting

Not my best...and quite short...

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

Hurting 

The two blades crashed together with such force that sparks flew brightly as if lighting itself had struck them. Kai felt the impact of the collision through Dranzer and too say it didn't hurt would be an understatement. His crimson eyes focussed on his little brother and he could tell that he felt it too, only he couldn't hide it as well. His blade whirled around the dish in a mass of blue in rapid circles, clashing into Matt's black blade at random intervals so that he had no way of dodging them. If it wasn't for the fact that he was wielding Black Dranzer, Kai would say this was going to be an easy match. But there was something in Matt's crimson eyes that told him he was far from the truth. It was scary to think that only a few months ago he had been in Matt's shoes: hungry for power and letting nothing stand in his way. He had even used the very same blade that provided him with that extra drive needed to turn against his friends in a bid for strength beyond that which he could imagine. Strangely, it had been his friends that had took him away from his darker side and that had been locked up and the key thrown away. Now, he had to do the same with Matt.

"Dranzer, finish this quickly!" He summoned the mighty phoenix from her chip and she spread her wings with the nobility of an eagle and the grace of a swan. She swooped inwards and crashed into Matt's blade, almost sending it toppling over the edge.

"Don't just stand there like a fool!" Voltaire spat at Matt. "Summon your own bitbeast."

Matt's eyes widened with uncertainty. "But we haven't properly covered that in training. I don't know if I can control her."

Voltaire grabbed Matt's shirt collar roughly. "Do it or else you'll lose. I won't have you making me to look like the idiot here." Something hit his arm with such force that he was made to release his grip on Matt and when he looked he saw Kai's blade land neatly in the centre of the dish.

"He may be acting stupid right now," Kai said with venom, "but he's still my brother and I won't let you touch him like that. Matt, Voltaire's right. If you want to even stand a chance of winning you'll have to call on Black Dranzer." As if for emphasis, Dranzer whammed into his blade again.

Matt nodded in agreement. "You're right. I'm not going to make this easy for you. Black Dranzer!"

The dark phoenix rose from the blade in very much the same way its sister bit beast had. The two phoenixes circled one another slowly, waiting to pounce when it's opponent least expected it. Sizing the other up, the good and evil bit beasts met the other's eye and crowed loudly and fearfully. Kai knew that watching them, this match was out of his hands. The beasts were being driven on by something much fiercer than their master's commands and that was a bitter rivalry which he imagined had been going in since the dark beast's creation. The only thing he could do to help his friend was to keep his endurance up for the remainder of the battle: for as the two human brothers fought, the two phoenix sisters did too. This was rivalry at its greatest.

Dranzer fluffed her red and golden feathers before swooping down and hitting her target square on in the chest, causing a few of the black feathers to tear off and disappear into the air like stained snow. Her claws dug into Black Dranzer's stomach and Kai could hear that Matt was feeling the pain too.

"Stop!" He cried to Dranzer who looked at her master with confusion mixed with faithful trust that he knew best. "Be careful or you'll hurt my brother."

Matt looked at his brother and their two pairs of crimson eyes met and shared an unknown message filled with unknown emotions: fear, hate, vengeance, love? Neither of them knew what the other was feeling deep down in the bottom of their soul but both of them knew that they would have to end this battle soon if they were both going to be in the right mind to find out.

Black Dranzer, seeing her chance, broke free from her sister's hold and rose into the air, performing a nose dive into the other phoenix's chest. Kai felt his breath catch in his throat as the impact of the assault hit home. He grabbed his stomach and winced in pain.

"Kai!" Hilary ran to his side and placed a comforting hand on his arm. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." He even managed a smile. "Couldn't be better. Don't let her push you around Dranzer."

The bird squawked her acknowledgement and fought back bitterly. The two blades crashed into each other and flew up into the air, following the phoenix bit beasts' movements, colliding all the way, and then back down again. Kai could see that already, the two birds were exhausted from the effort that was going into winning this useless fight. He looked at Matt and could se his chest heaving up and down from the physical endurance that was being beaten out of him with every smash of the blade. If he wasn't careful, he would collapse.

"Matt, there's nothing wrong if you want to give up." Kai looked at his brother hopefully with his eyes showing his affection. "You've put up a great fight, maybe one of the best I've ever had. But look at what this is doing to you. You're exhausted because you've not got the right mental capability to wield Black Dranzer successfully. I can see that you're struggling because you don't have that tendency of evil that you need to control such a beast."

"And you do?" Matt countered.

"I've been seeing a shrink at school for weeks now. I think that proved I'm crazy enough to be able to control a demonic bird like her." As if in reply to her former master's insult – or compliment – Black Dranzer let out an ear piercing shriek which, to some, would send a fearful shiver down their spine. Kai however, smirked. There was nothing she could do to harm him and they both knew that. However powerful she may be in a beyblade match, in the real world she was merely a hologram.

Voltaire snaked an arm around the young boy's shoulder and looked coyly at Kai. "Listen to him trying to make you give her up. He'll go to any limits to reach his goal. Why, he'd even betray his own brother. He's already betrayed his friends."

"That's because I was being manipulated by you! As soon as I came to my senses they welcomed me back with open arms and Matt, no matter what you do I'll do the same for you. You can choose to continue to fight me or we can put all this behind us. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be responsible for hurting my little brother, would you. Nor would I want to get a reputation that my little brother can beat me. This battle's a kind of lose lose situation for me."

"That would kinda suck…" his littler half replied.

"Don't be an idiot Matthew," Voltaire snarled like an angry dog. "Don't give in to him so easily. You were trained better than this!"

"No Matt, be an idiot and join our side," Garnet said. "We have cookies."

Still unsure, Matt looked at Kai with all of the innocence of a child. "But if I back out now-"

"You'll be a better person to swallow your pride," Kai replied. "No matter who would win, we'd both lose. I think you know that already, though."

"I think I do…" Matt looked up at Voltaire with an apology written in his face like an open book. "I'm sorry but Kai's right. We shouldn't have to fight each other to settle our differences, even if he is a jerk sometimes." He called back Black Dranzer and the blade flew into his hand. He handed the blade back to Voltaire. "There's not too much damage so you should be able to repair it."

The old mad looked as if he'd aged ten years in a single second. His whole plan for getting back at his eldest grandson had gone down the drain where it had been washed away by sibling love. He could see that his fists were shaking in rage and his whole body felt numb with anger. He couldn't let Kai leave like this. He couldn't let Kai walk away unharmed and unmarked. He _just_ couldn't. Before anyone had a chance to react, he grabbed Matt roughly behind the throat and held his body to him, cutting off vast amounts of his airwaves. Everyone in the room looked alarmed: except Kai. There was a song of shocked gasps but Kai merely folded his arms and looked almost amused.

"You really are an old fool." He shook his head in pity. "What would you achieve by this except a life long prison sentence or even death? Because if you harm him, I will kill you. So let him go."

Both their eyes met with such a strong will that neither of them looked away for several minutes. Eventually, Voltaire snarled and threw the boy forward into his brother's arms. Silently, the teens filed out of the room, not sure what to say to one another. Kai waited behind though and he and Voltaire stood face on to each other. Kai expected some sort of weapon to be produced – knowing his grandfather – but instead, and to his bewilderment, Voltaire smirked and applauded the boy.

"You've beaten me once again Kai. Congratulations."

Kai nodded. "It seems I have. And for the last time. I don't ever want to see you again. Don't come near me, don't come near my family and don't come near my friends. I mean what I said. I will kill you without hesitation next time. Please, just stay away from me. If we pass each other on the street, don't talk to me. If we're forced into each other through the media, make the conversation minimal. I want nothing more to do with you."

"The feeling is mutual," Voltaire replied with a sneer that was almost a smile: a genuine smile. "I wouldn't worry."

Kai turned on his heel and left the room but not before he heard Voltaire laugh out of relief: either because his grandson had spared him or because he was spared of his grandson. When he was alone, Kai felt himself laugh in relief too: relief that this day hadn't gotten any uglier and relief that he and Voltaire had solved their problems with the pen, rather than the sword.

"So what happened? Did he say anything?" Tala asked as Kai met them outside.

The teen shrugged. "We reached an agreement that we'll stay out of each other's lives as much as possible." He ruffled Matt's hair to the little boy's annoyance. "You okay?"

"I guess."

"I'll meet you guys back at Tyson's dojo later, okay?" He placed a hand on his brother's back. "I'm going to walk him home."

They walked in the opposite direction of his friends and in the opposite direction of Matt's hotel. Kai had another destination in mind for the two of them. Before he took him home, they needed to talk. He knew just the place to go for a good heart to heart without any disturbance.

* * *

The Spot was just as beautiful as it had been the last time he had gone there with Hilary. The timing had been just right as the sun was setting in the sky and soon night would be upon them. Kai imagined that his parents would be worried but he would let them worry. Some things were more important. Sitting down on the cool grass, Kai could feel this chill of the night spreading up his bare arms in a very pleasant way. Around his waist he had tied a jacket which he now offered to his little brother as protection against the cold: protection was what Kai wanted him to give him, for more than just the weather. 

"Kai, I'm really sorry." Matt whispered.

For a few moments Kai regarded his brother as he thought of what to say. Inside his head he had had a whole speech prepared but it was rapidly disappearing with the sun. There was so much he wanted to tell him, advice he wanted to give him, stories he wanted to share with him.

"Don't be. You've not done anything wrong. Voltaire is an evil man and he likes to corrupt those that are vulnerable. Me and you, in other words, who are alone in the world – or were – and we have no one else to turn to. He'll give you promises, pretends that he cares about you and if you don't comply he'll rip your whole world apart. That's what happened to me. Now, I'm living in the fear that if I move away to Russia with you guys, it'll be forever and I'll not see my real family again and it's all because I refused to be a pawn for Voltaire any longer." He sighed. "Fortunately, I don't think your situation's as messed up as mine. The only people who know are people who I trust. For me, almost the entire world knows."

"That's true. But you don't want to come to Russia? Does mom know?"

"No, I don't and no she doesn't. I don't know how to tell her without breaking her heart. I know that all she and dad want is for us all to be one big happy family but she doesn't realise that I already have my family and I'm happy the way I am."

"She'd understand if you tell her."

Kai didn't reply. It felt strange to him that he was talking so openly about his feelings to some one who he didn't really know and hadn't known for all that long. But that was what happened with Hilary and things were now going great with them. They had a relationship that was open – for the most part – and that was built on trust. Perhaps he could have the same thing with Matt if they both worked on it? Matt sat in closer to him and he put and arm around his shoulders protectively.

"How did you feel when you found out that Voltaire had just been using you?" Matt asked.

"Stupid. And empty. And like shit."

"Are you better now?"

Kai shook his head slowly. "It still hurts when I think about it, all the years that I've wasted, all the abuse I've taken from him and all the times I've felt like dying. I still feel it sometimes."

Matt looked away from him and out onto the sunset. "How do you know it'll go away?"

"I don't," he answered truthfully. "But we've just got to have faith that it will." He looked at his watch and sighed again. "I think I should take you home. We'll keep today a little secret from Rosanne and Alexander, okay?"

Matt nodded and followed his brother on the walk home.

* * *

Review, por favor. And apologies for the crapness:P I'll try and do better next time!

jellybean-kitty


	23. Parting

Hey guys! I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas! Next stop, New Year! This is the concluding chapter of Consequences. I really hope you guys all like it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

Parting 

Kai carefully shut the gate behind him as he entered the dojo. Judging by the silence everyone had already left. Good. He didn't think he could cope with all the questions and comments they had to make today. Maybe tomorrow at school he could face them if he felt up to it. Then he remembered it was their last week before the summer holidays which also meant that in two weeks he was supposed to be heading off to Russia. _Supposed_ to be. He already knew that that would not be the case. As much as he liked – he wouldn't go so far as to say loved – Rosanne and Alexander (he thought they would have been pretty great people to have grown up with), he just didn't see there being any future with them living as a family no matter how hard they tried to fool themselves. At fifteen, nearly sixteen, years old, Kai knew that within a few years he would be completely independent anyway so why should he bother? He could keep relations for emergencies, accept any gifts or money they offered them and he could even pretend he loved them but he wasn't going to give them false hope that one day they could be a family because it just wouldn't happen. The only person he could see himself coming to love if he didn't already was Matt. The other three were merely there. That was the only way to describe it. They were a part of his life but not a part of his life. In the football world, they were the coach to his team: they offered advice and supplied him with what he needs but at the end of the day the game was entirely up to him with no participation from them whatsoever except praise where it's needed and anger when he doesn't do as he should.

Quitely, he let himself into the house and took off his shoes at the door. Then his alarm bells began to ring. In the middle of the hall were the bags that had been left at Voltaire's. He'd completely forgotten all about them and here they were. His mind raced through all the possible scenarios. Had some one went back for them? Had Voltaire dropped them off? Was he _here?_

"It's weird huh?" Tyson commented as he welcomed his friend 'home'. "When we all came back here they were just lying on my porch. There was a letter that came with them but we knew it was best not to open it until you came back." He handed Kai a white envelope which he opened slowly and his eyes scanned through it quickly. "So what does it say?"

"_Dear Kai,_" He began, "_I'm returning your possessions to you in the hope that all ties between us are now severed. Now, you have no reason to ever return to the Hiwatari manor and, more importantly, come into my life again. This is my gesture of good will so that, though we will never again grace one another's company, we shall at least part on outward good terms, though inside they may be filled with hate and anger._

_"I know that our life together has not been pleasant. You have never had your up most obedience that I required and, most probably the cause of it, I never loved you as a grandparent should and I never will. I do, however, wish you well in the future. I hope that your life turns out to be everything that you want it to be and that you wish the same for me, even if it is filled with resent._

_"It is on this note that I will conclude this last chapter in our life together and on the dream that never again will our paths cross. Yours sincerely, Voltaire Hiwatari._" He folded the letter back inside the envelope along with another content which Kai didn't feel like showing to Tyson.

"Sweet," Tyson said. "So that's it completely over then?"

"It would seem that way. He was always one to keep his word and his honour." Kai grabbed both bags with all the spitefulness of an old man. "I'm going to head of to bed. I'll see you later."

Tyson nodded as he watched Kai walk up the stairs that led to his bedroom. He could tell from his demeanour that, even though he hid it well, inside he would be soaring. All his life he had been tormented by his grandfather's ambitions and now, finally, he was completely free of them forever. It must be some relief to be rid of all the pain that had been caused over the years. Unfortunately, now he must look to the pain that is going to hit him in the years to come. Surely it would be obvious to him that when he informs his parents that he'll be staying in Japan they'll be crushed? For years, he's going to have to look at their disappointed faces with the guilt that he was the one to disappoint them. Then again, it worked on both sides. If he was to go to Russia, they would have to cope with his unhappiness at being secluded from his friends and the only people who ever really knew him and wanted him the way that he was. They weren't fools. They would know that they were the cause of it. Kai wasn't a fool either. He knew that their real intention was the take him to Russia with not letting him ever return to Japan. It didn't take a genius to work that our. He'd managed to. Of course, how they would work this plan was beyond him. Did they think that Kai would fall in love with Russia or their home so much that he wouldn't want to leave it? He had no idea how this whole situation would turn out. Would Kai eventually give in and leave Japan or will his parents back down and let him stay? No matter what the outcome was Kai would always be welcome here.

* * *

Garnet arched her small back in the sun and carried out a full out stretch in the warm summer sun, reaching her hands behind her head and making a relaxed groaning sound to accompany the gesture. "I can't believe in four days school's over. I can't wait." 

"Do you have plans?" Mariah asked knowing that she didn't.

"No but I mean no school. How can that not be awesome?"

"No school means nothing to do, especially since I'm going back to China for most of the vacation. I guess I kinda can't wait to see my parents. It's been quite some time. And you guys are going to your parents' too, right?"

Tala grimaced and Kai remained silent. He was actually headed in the direction of his parents' to inform them that in actual fact he will not be going to Russia with them. He'd been mentally preparing himself all day for it and he felt a bit nervous: an emotion that was generally a stranger to him.

"You _are_ going Kai?" Mariah prompted.

"No, I'm not. I'm going to tell them that I'll be staying with Tyson for the remainder of the holidays."

"What?" Garnet demanded. "But that's so unfair on them! How could you do that?"

"They're not planning on letting me go back to Japan, Garnet. They're telling me it's only for summer but I can tell that they have a completely different idea. So I'm not going to go."

"And Tyson's alright with this? Is my grandpa alright with this?" Her tone was harsh and sharp enough to cut a tree in half.

"Yes. I'm not an idiot. Why do you want me to go so badly?" She could see that there was some defence in the seemingly innocent question. "If I didn't know you better I'd say you were trying to get rid of me."

She shrugged and her voice became a little bit softer, if only a fraction. "I don't want you to go. I want you to have a more stable family life now that Voltaire's completely out of your life. It's not good for some one to live with a friend all their life."

"Actually," he said almost guiltily, "I'm not going to live with Tyson after school starts. Voltaire gave me one final parting gift. Some compensation for all the hell he put me through all my life and its enough pay for all my school fees and dorming fees for the next few terms and probably enough to buy my own house when the time comes."

All three pairs of eyes went wide with shock and Kai could almost feel himself smirk. His reaction had been the same. The gesture of good will on behalf on his grandfather had almost swept him clean off his feet as he had read the several figured sum that had been put on a cheque written out to him. At first, he'd thought it was a joke: a twisted attempt at humour at his expense. Upon studying it closely he saw that it was legitimate. He'd even got up earlier that morning so he could cash it in to his bank account before school. The clerk had initially been surprised until she recognised the sport star and assumed it was some from of payment for a sponsorship deal or something.

"No way!" Garnet's mouth hung open wide enough to catch flies. "How much did he give you?"

"Enough."

"And it's legitimate?"

"I cashed it in this morning."

"So there are not strings attached? He doesn't want anything from you in return?" Tala's usual suspicious mind on behalf of the old man was working full throttle. "It seems a bit too good to be true."

"The only thing he wants from me is to never see me again. Besides, the guy's a billionaire. What he gave me was merely pocket change."

Mariah suddenly hugged her cousin tightly. "This is great! You can now have that new beginning you've been wanting for so long. I'm so happy for you!"

"Before you go that far there's one more thing I need to do." He frowned. "And I'm not looking forward to it."

* * *

It was formal, the way that Kai greeted Rosanne and Alexander. So formal that they probably knew that something was awry all ready. Matt looked at Kai with all the wisdom of an elderly man who'd seen much of the world. Obviously he could foresee this entire conversation before it'd happened. Kai wondered what his predictions were. 

He was led to the sitting room of their hotel where he took a seat in the single chaired couch, making sure that he was meeting their eyes all the time. If they thought there was one ounce of guilt then he was certain they'd play on it. He wouldn't let them make that mistake.

"I asked you to come here because there's a slight mix-up in our plans. We're going to have to go to Russia a littler sooner than we thought. Friday, actually, is when our flights are scheduled for. You'll have to be ready for then." Rosanne smiled apologetically but Kai could tell that she wasn't sorry at all that her son would be leaving earlier. It would give her more time to convince him to stay.

"I'm not going."

"What?" She asked, still smiling though the happiness had faded from it.

"I'm not going," he said again firmer.

Her usual motherly face took a sour turn as a range of emotions flooded into it: confusion, hurt, fear but strangely no anger. "I don't understand?"

"I'm really sorry but I just can't. You'll want me to stay and I'm just not ready to do that yet. Or ever. But it's okay because Tyson's grandpa said I could stay as long as I want and next term I can use the dormitories at school."

"And who do you think's going to pay for them?" Rosanne huffed. "And just who does Mr. Granger think he is? He's not your legal guardian."

"Neither are you." Kai reminded her gently. "Voltaire Hiwatari is my legal guardian and he's given enough money to pay for my schooling needs of the rest of my school career." Rosanne and Alexander swapped quizzical, alarmed glances. "It was kind of a reward for never crossing his path again. Look, I'm sorry but this is my decision. We'll never be a family, not the one you want us to be. I was hoping we could part on good terms but I see that was in vain."

He stood up to leave but Rosanne hailed him to stop. "I realize that now, Kai. It's too little too late for us. I'm sorry that I couldn't have been a better mother to you." She took his hand. Her skin was soft and warm: like a mother's hand. "I've not been fair expecting so much of you so soon. Stay in Japan. We'll keep in touch. Maybe you and your friends can visit us some time?"

"That would be great." He met her eyes and saw that there were tears in them.

"Oh Kai," she said and embrace him tightly. Breathing in, she smelt like flowers. Rose petals. It made Kai's heart lurch. "It's better this way, isn't it. You'd only resent us if you were to live in Russia." Kai felt a tear drop hit his neck and Rosanne let him go, delicately wiping her eyes. "I want you to know that your father and I will always love you, even if you never return it."

Kai didn't know what to say and so chose to say nothing.

"And don't think for a second that we'd let you pay your own school fees." Alexander said almost gruffly. "We're not that bitter." He paused for a second. "Before you go, there's something I want to give you." He reached around his neck and undid the chain that had been hidden in his shirt. It was a simple silver chain with a small, silver pheonix pendant on it. "So that you don't forget us. It's something that's been in the Hiwatari family for many generations, just like Dranzer. I want you to have it." Clasping it around Kai's neck, he took a step back and smiled. "It suits you."

Kai fingered it admirably. It looked just like his pheonix. "I don't know what to say..."

"Then don't say anything." His father smiled sadly. "Don't forget who you are. You're Kai Hiwatari and you're my son. If you are going to remember anything, remember that."

Kai nodded. "I won't." He could feel that it was time they said goodbye, for now. He couldn't say those words, though. "I'll keep in touch." He walked out of the room but paused at the door. "Thanks for understanding."

He didn't want them to reply. He didn't want to give them a chance to change his mind. What he _did_ want was to talk to some one. What he wanted was Hilary and he wanted her now. Without thinking, he found himself running down the polished marble of the exclusive hotel. He didn't wait for an elevator. He took the stairs and ran down them two at a time. He could feel his heart beating in his chest but she didn't care. It was exhilarating, this desire to be with her. A few people shouted at him but he didn't care. He ignored their remarks and continued to run at top speed to Hilary's house. There was no way he could stop. He couldn't slow down enough to look for traffic. Weaving in and out of the rush hour, sprinting down street after street. When he finally reached the street where Hilary lived, he felt like a marathon runner felt on the home stretch. He hurled over her gate and leaped up her stairs, stopping just in time to avoid colliding with her front door. He rang her doorbell as calmly as he could. There was no way to explain this desperation for seeing her. Maybe it was because he knew that he had the whole summer ahead where he could spend each moment with her. Or maybe it was just some inexplicable urge. It had taken him on so randomly.

He rang the bell again just as Hilary opened it.

"Kai?" She smiled, glad to see him if a bit surprised. "What are you doing here?"

He didn't answer her. Instead he kissed her, letting all his desperation pour out. His hands wrapped around her body tightly, kicking the door shut with his foot. It was short lived, though, as she broke away nervously looking out the window.

"My parents will be home soon and they'll go crazy if they see us like this." She saw Kai's face look almost disappointed. "We _could_ go up to my room though." Giggling, she led him by the hand up the stairs and into her room where they immediately fell onto the bed. "Okay I gotta ask. What's the occasion?"

Kai shrugged and smiled. "I just love you."

For the first time she noticed there were speckles of sweat on his forehead. "Did you run here or something?"

"Yeah."

She laughed. "Seriously? From where?"

"From my parent's hotel."

"You ran all this way just to say you love me?"

"Pretty much."

She laughed again and hugged him. "Well I love you too. What happened with your parents? Did you tell them you're staying in Japan?"

Kai nodded. "How did you know?"

"I just did." She smirked slyly. "So how did they take it?"

"I think they were a bit hurt but they understood. Besides," he kissed her softly, "I can live with the consequences."

They fell back onto the bed in each other's arms safe in the knowledge that they wouldn't be separated from each other any time soon. Kai felt the real happiness of knowing that he could now be with the people that he really wanted to with. He could now spend his life with the people he wanted to spend it with and right now, that was Hilary.

* * *

And thus ends Consequences. Thanks to everyone who read this story! As ever your support is greatly appreciated. I hope you liked the ending. I know it was brief but I think it was important to the story that it was. 

I have several ideas for a final sequal but I'm not entirely sure wither to write one or not. I don't know if I could get your attention for long enough:P Please review with your opinions.

jellybean-kitty xx


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